Would You?
by The Telepathic Hawk
Summary: Kurt Hummel is killed in a tragic accident and Puck, of all people, has the opportunity to change his fate. But, is he strong enough to do so when he can't even admit his love for Kurt? Established closeted relationship. Kurt/Puck
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Glee nor do I make any profit off of this piece of imagination.**

**Author's Note: This has probably been done before. If it has, I apologize to whomever has done it. No copying was intended. The idea just got into my head and wouldn't leave. This opening chapter is very angst filled. The story will probably continue to be angst filled and I can't promise a happy ending, but I can promise a hopeful ending at this point. It's my first Glee fic though I've read hundreds and just fell in love with the pairing. But, please forgive when it gets OOC or when something is not cannon. I take full responsibility. If you feel the need to flame please be civil and reviews are always appreciated! They keep me encouraged. Hoping that you like it! Happy reading! T.H.**

There was nothing about that day to warn Noah Puckerman that before it ended the world as he knew it would come crashing down around him. The night before had been a perfect blend of three very strong drinks to leave him pleasantly buzzed and loose and fucking Kurt Hummel hard into his mattress. He'd never really expected to fuck another boy on a regular basis, but sex was sex and Kurt had been willing at a time when he had needed it to be fast and rough. After everything that had happened with Finn and Quinn his frustration had been at an all time high and Santana wasn't putting out due to some sort of female sisterhood loyalty bullshit. Winter was nearing and none of his housewives had reason to call him without making their husbands suspicious. Hell, he'd even tried to get back with Rachael, sure that she would give it up in her dramatic grieving after Finn forgave Quinn and they pretended that Finn finding out the baby was never his had never happened. (Which was dumb as hell and Puck still denied that when he had found out he hadn't been relieved but instead had raged until he sobbed in a back alley, his knuckles bloody from punching the wall.) But, even Rachael wasn't coming anywhere near him. The only one who was even remotely on his side was Hummel. He sat near him at least and, in exchange for not being tossed into dumpsters every morning anymore, he helped him when he needed it in Glee. Puck had seen Hummel looking at him in both Glee and the locker room after football, so when his frustration had been at its peak and he and Kurt were the only ones left in the room he had let his anger carry him into slamming Kurt against a locker and taking his lips in a hungry rage filled kiss.

And Hummel had returned it full force, demanded that Noah –he always called him Noah- take him hard right then, and allowed him to do just that, with a little help from the lotion he had in his bag. That had started a twice weekly tradition for them. Puck needed it and he was the only one who would give it to Hummel, or so he liked to think. Five months later it was still working for him. He never took Kurt face to face, just from behind, so that he could still say he was pretending it was a girl if he wanted to. He wasn't ready to admit even to himself that he had stopped imagining a girl and had come to appreciate the harsh angles and thin form without a lot of awkward bits that got in the way no matter how much he liked to look at them about the second time he and Kurt met up in the locker room. A month in they had taken it to Kurt's house because twice a week Kurt told his father that he had joined a study group and they had the place all to themselves. He always took Hummel hard, left bruises that they both seemed to like. He never touched Hummel's dick because he was afraid to admit that he wanted to. But, he always made sure Hummel got off. What was a good fuck buddy for, after all? Usually just before he came, he'd talk dirty to Kurt, as dirty as he could think, and Kurt would make little noises from the back of his throat and he'd clench up impossibly tighter and spill himself on the sheets. Puck didn't like to think that it was the fact that Kurt got off with him inside of his body that made his orgasms so intense. That couldn't possibly be it.

The night before had been the first time they'd spent the entire night together and it had been because Kurt was exhausted. Even Puck had been able to see that. It had been only the third time they'd fucked at Puck's place and Kurt had called his dad to say he was too exhausted to drive home from a study date with Mercedes. His dad had bought it. Really Puck didn't know why he'd let Kurt stay. He just hadn't been able to resist when Kurt looked at him with eyes bloodshot and outlined by dark circles.

"Please, Noah, I'll sleep on the couch if you like. I just…need to sleep." He'd sounded so defeated and tired.

"Naw. You can sleep in the bed," Puck had answered and had pretended not to see the way Kurt's eyes lit with hope, "I'll take my mom's bed. She and my sister are at a girl scout camp thing or something this week anyway."

"Oh. Well…Goodnight then."

He hadn't sounded deflated. He hadn't! Puck would not allow himself to feel guilt over something that may or may not have happened. He'd woken up in a great mood. Hummel had made breakfast and they'd been comfortably silent while eating. The day had gone well. Football had been awesome. The team was really pulling together. He was looking forward to pizza and video games with Matt and Mike. He wasn't even bothering to wonder where Kurt was. He'd taken to leaving practice fifteen minutes early every day to make sure he was showered and out of the locker room before the others got off of the field lately anyway. So, when someone, some random freshmen –And what the hell was he even still doing at the school anyway?- came barreling into the locker room as he was getting dressed, he only felt a sense of curiosity like the others and not dread when he heard the words:

"Someone just got hit by a car in the parking lot! Car just drove away! He's pretty messed up!"

It was wrong, Puck realized even as he ran out to the front of the school with the rest of them, that they were so eager to see someone in pain, but he wasn't able to stop himself. There was already a crowd around the victim when they got out there and it was completely quiet. That was when Puck began to get nervous. If something could affect teenagers enough to shut them up then the kid had to be seriously messed up. He could see the jumpy germophobe counselor on her cell phone a little distant from the crowd. She was talking rapidly and tears were pouring down her face. Puck's breath caught. A sense of black dread rolled over him and made him feel sick. Then he saw it.

Kurt's messenger bag that he loved so dearly was scuffed and tossed aside. Kurt would never just leave something like that lying around, even to see…And he heard the voice.

"Kurt? Kurt, come on, buddy, look at me. Just keep your eyes on me. The ambulance is coming. Just hold on. Please." It was Mr. Schuester and it was the please that made Puck want to bend over and throw up. It sounded so desperate. Suddenly he didn't care what he looked like or what anyone thought. His heart pounding in his ears, he pushed his way through the gathered crowd and froze.

Kurt was lying in a growing pool of his own blood. There was so much of it, coming out of Kurt's nose, his mouth, his ears and dozens of other places hidden by tattered clothing. One of his legs was bent at an awkward angle and his hair was matted. There was a large cut above his left eye and his face was already darkening with bruises. He was trying to look at Mr. Schue like the teacher demanded but his eyes weren't focusing. The hand that Mr. Schue wasn't holding was reaching for something, fingers closing on air again and again. Puck didn't think before he fell to his knees and took that bloody hand in his own.

"Hummel. Hummel, don't you dare die. Don't you dare. Fight. Look at me! Fight!" He didn't really know what he was saying as he held Kurt's hand in one of his own and turned the broken face to look at him.

"Noah…" Kurt breathed. His lips turned up slightly in what might have been an attempt at a smile. Puck couldn't help but think that it was because he was there. He tried to smile back.

"I'm right here. You look at me and don't look away. You got it?"

"Love…you…" Kurt whispered. He turned his gaze away to focus on the clouds and his breathing started to get choppy.

"Fuck! Hummel, don't start that! Look at me. Look at me, damn it! Fuck! Kurt? Kurt!" It took him at least thirty seconds before he realized that Kurt's gaze had unfocused and his chest was no longer rising and falling. He fell back off of knees, still holding on to Kurt's warm hand and looked around. The counselor was sobbing on Mr. Schue's shoulder. The football players were looking down in shock, their faces white and their eyes disbelieving. Finn was crying, holding on to some sobbing freshman Puck didn't know. No one had gotten the Cheerios, he realized. That seemed strange. Other people were staring to cry. Someone threw up in the grass. He looked back down at Kurt and held tighter to his hand.

They told him later that it took Finn, Mr. Schuester, Matt, and Mike to pull him away from Kurt when the paramedics tried to put Kurt gently in the body bag. He didn't really remember that. He didn't remember much until the funeral three days later. There wasn't a church service. Everyone gathered at the cemetery. Kurt's father looked broken, too broken to feel uncomfortable in the suit that he hadn't worn since his wife's funeral five years previous. Finn was stone faced now, being strong for Quinn who was rubbing her belly soothingly and trying not to sob. Tina held Artie's hand and they both cried silently. Mr. Schuester held the counselor, Ms. Pillsbury Puck finally remembered. They were both crying. Mercedes and Rachel had arms wrapped around each other's waists, giving each other the strength not to cry. Matt and Mike looked lost and uncomfortable. Brittany surprised them all when she couldn't control herself and started sobbing loudly. There was nothing fake about it, Puck realized as he looked at her. She was devastated. He wondered if he should do something until Santana stepped in and did it.

"Baby," she whispered gently, "Baby, come on. Take a walk with me. It's okay. Let's go. Come on."

Puck couldn't help but marvel at Santana's gentleness and ease with the other girl. They'd slept together, that was no secret. Brittany had always wanted more. That was no secret either. Maybe, just maybe, if Santana could admit her feelings for Brittany now then Kurt's death hadn't been in vain. Something good had come out of it. He turned back to the dark wood coffin and wondered why he couldn't cry.

When he got home he took off his tie, unbuttoned the first two buttons of his dress shirt, took off his shoes and socks, and sat down on the edge of his bed. He didn't know how long it was before his mother came into the room and sat down on the bed with him. He flinched away when she tried to cup his cheek in her hand and she didn't try again.

"Do you want something to eat?"

"No." His voice sounded strange even to himself.

"Noah, baby, you have to eat something. You haven't eaten in three days. Noah? Please talk to me. Please. Noah…"

"Don't call me that."

"What?"

"Don't call me Noah," There was a tension building in his chest. His breathing was coming faster, "He called me Noah. Don't call me Noah! It's Puck! My name is Puck!" He was on his feet before he made the decision to move and had punched his mirror, breaking it and digging glass into his knuckles before he could realize what he was doing, "Fuck!" He screamed, trying to release the rage he was feeling, and only managed to fall to his knees, tired.

"Baby!" His mother was suddenly hugging him from behind, stroking his hair, "It's okay, baby! It's okay!" She was crying, he realized. He covered her hand with his and let her rock him, "Baby, it's okay to cry."

"I can't cry," He whispered, "Ma…why can't I cry?"

"You will, baby. Don't rush it. You'll grieve at your own pace. Let's fix up your hand, okay?"

"Okay."

Three hours later found him in bed in the same clothes, hand bandaged, on top of the covers, staring at the shadows on the wall as the sun went down. He didn't even bother to look at who had come in when he heard his door open. He felt the little body slip into the bed behind him and closed his eyes when she snuggled. The tight fist that had been in his chest all day tightened further and he gasped for air.

"Miri…"

"Mama says you're hurting, Noe. Why? What happened? Can I help?"

"No, Miriam, you can't help. Someone died."

"Oh," Her voice was sweet, "Someone you liked?"

"Yeah, Miri," His voice wavered, "He was my friend. I liked him. That's a lie. He was more than a friend. I more than liked him."

"You loved him?"

"Yeah, maybe," He rolled over to face her and couldn't stand the sympathy he saw in her big brown eyes. His little sister was so pretty, so innocent, "But, I never told him. I was afraid. And that hurts more. He died without ever knowing…"

"Oh," She leaned forward and kissed his cheek before settling herself against his chest, "Maybe you should tell him now."

"Maybe."

When he felt Miri's breathing deepen and even he slipped out of the bed and pulled on his running shoes. When he went to grab his jacket his mother was already by the door holding it out for him. She simply hugged him and told him not to be too late and to call if he needed anything at all. The walk to cemetery in the early spring night air was cool and helped clear his head. He didn't really think of anything until he reached the plot with the newly turned earth and the plastic marker with only a name next to the stone that belonged to the boy's –just a boy- mother. He sat down on the dirt.

"Hey, Hummel. Kurt. I…I don't know what to say. There were so many things I should have said while I still had you. You were always…I should have…I wish I would have looked at you just once while we…Look, I'm no good at this. I should have been better. You should have spoken up. I shouldn't have hurt you, been so rough with you. You shouldn't have let me never be gentle with you! Fuck!" He pounded his fist into the dirt and finally felt something in him break. The tears started to come hard and fast. He got to his knees and kept pounding the dirt, unaware of his already injured hand, "You're so much stronger than me! You should have held on! Why the hell did you give up, huh? I could have changed! We just needed more time! Why didn't you give us more time? You stupid fuck! Why did you…" He choked on the words, "Why did you leave? Why did you go? Why couldn't you just hold on? Wasn't I enough for you? Why'd you have to go and leave me all alone?"

He collapsed on the dirt, sobbing like a child, and wrapped his arms around himself, curling into a ball. He sobbed until there were no tears left and he didn't fell any better. He simply felt hollow. He didn't even hear anyone approaching before he heard the voice.

"If you had a chance to do it over, would you?"

"Artie?" He sat up and turned around. Artie was in his chair, looking down at Puck with tears and compassion in his eyes.

"Would you do it over?" He asked again, "Would you change anything? Would you let it be?"

"Abrams, I can't deal with this right now…"

"I'm serious, Noah Puckerman," And suddenly he didn't sound like Artie anymore, "Given the chance, given seven days before the tragedy, would you change anything? Could you be strong enough to change anything?"

"I…" Puck looked down at the plastic name plate, "I'd like to think I could. I want to."

"Then, come. Follow me." Artie stood and began to walk away. After a moment of shock, Puck got up and followed the young man he was fairly certain was not Artie Abrams into the darkness.


	2. Chapter 2

**All previous disclaimers apply.**

** Author's Note: I know Puck gets OOC in this chapter, but he's just gotten the chance to change everything. Please be forgiving. Artie will explain more later about why he knows so much about what is going on! Please review if you have time! T.H.**

He jerked awake suddenly to the sound of his mother pounding on his bedroom door and telling him that if he didn't get up he was going to be late for school. School. He moaned from the back of his throat, miserable. He wasn't sure that he was ready to face school yet. When he tried to imagine walking the halls that Kurt would never walk again, playing football on the field without being able to catch a glimpse of the familiar form, and sitting in Glee with the others his mouth went dry and his throat closed uncomfortably, stopping a sob he hadn't expected in his throat. He closed his eyes tight and brought his hands up to cover his face. The sob caught for a second time and he froze. He moved slowly, afraid of disturbing anything, changing anything, pulled his hands from his face and opened his eyes.

"What the…" He sat up and stared down at his hands, unmarred and perfectly clean. The last time he'd seen them one had been wrapped in gauze that blood was still visible on and they had both been covered in dirt from pounding on Kurt's grave. He closed his eyes again, furrowing his brow and trying to remember what had happened after he had gone to the cemetery.

"If you had the chance to do it over, would you?" He whispered, trying to remember it all, "Seven days…Ma!"

He was out of his bed and out of the room in an instant. The door slammed against the wall when he opened it, but he didn't care as he ran down the hall and into the kitchen. His mother was looking through her purse and trying pull a piece of badly burned toast from the toaster at the same time. It was a long standing tradition of the Puckerman household that Rebeka Puckerman would try to cook her children a hot breakfast every morning and that she would, inevitably, fail miserably. She had the best of intentions at heart, but the woman could burn water. However, every morning she tried and every morning both of her children smiled, kissed her on the cheek, and thanked her for the attempt. The wasted food and time were never mentioned by any of them. As such, Miriam was seated at the small round table, finishing off her breakfast of cold cereal and milk happily and quietly. It all looked so remarkably normal.

"Ma, what day is it?" He demanded as he crossed the room to her.

"Oh, Noah!" She exclaimed in surprise when he put his hands on her shoulders and turned her around to face him.

"Noe!" Miriam squealed, "Gross! Go put some pants on!"

Puck looked down and realized he was only wearing his boxer briefs. But that didn't matter. He looked back up at his mother, his hands still on her shoulders. She looked scared for only an instant before an expression of realization crossed her face and then morphed into an expression of concern. She set a hand to his forehead.

"Noah, are you feeling alright? You don't seem to have a fever. Should Miri and I not go tomorrow?"

"What? Mama!" Miri whined, "I've been waiting for weeks! You promised!"

"Miriam, be quiet. Your brother's sick!"

"I'm not sick, Ma," Noah interrupted what was sure to become yet another hissy fit screaming match from the two ladies of his life, "I just need to know what day it is!"

"Noah, it's Thursday."

He just looked at her.

"Thursday the twenty-second." She elaborated.

"You and Miri are leaving for the camp right after school tomorrow. You'll be gone until next Sunday! Because you won't come back next Friday when you hear that someone at my school got hit by a car and I won't have to go to a funeral next Monday for Kurt! Yes! It worked! I have all the time in the world. Yes! Yes! Yes!" He couldn't help but jump up and punch the air.

"Pants, Noe! Please! I'm going to have nightmares!" Miriam squealed again, covering her eyes.

"You…are the best little sister ever!" He pressed a quick kiss to the crown of her head, then whirled on his mother, "And you are the best mother!" He picked her up in a hug and spun her around before setting her down and turning to dash back into his room.

"Noah!" His mother called after him.

"I know!" He called back from the hall, "We have to talk. And we will, Ma, I promise! But not right now! Everything's fine and I'm not doing drugs. Search my room if you have to! I gotta go!"

He took five minutes in the shower, longer in front of the mirror to make certain he looked like a stud –which should never have even been a question in the first place because he always looked like a stud- and was out the door in his best pair of jeans and his tightest black shirt. The jeans had been a gift that Kurt had given him without a word two months before. He'd never worn them. Now that he thought about it, Kurt had always been doing things like that. Buying him little things, making sure the foods he liked were at the house for before or after they had sex even though Kurt never touched the type of food Puck liked to eat. When Puck had been sick on one of their normal days Kurt had come over and taken care of him, even going so far as putting on the sports channel. Just to be close to him. Noah stopped his car in the school parking lot and leaned his head against the steering wheel. Kurt had tried to express love in so many different ways and Puck had ignored every single one. Kurt had never said anything. But, he wouldn't. It wasn't Kurt and that was something that Puck liked about him. The final image of Kurt's life flashed before his eyes.

"Love…you…"

Puck's heart clenched and the pain that shot through him, so bad it was almost physical, made him gag. It wouldn't happen. Not this time. He swore it to himself even as his eyes teared up and the taste of bile was in his mouth. No matter what happened, it would change. And he would start by changing himself and making Kurt happy. And when next Friday came Kurt would not be anywhere near that parking lot. He always felt better when he had a for sure plan and he jumped out of his car feeling energetic, buoyant, and not like he wanted to throw up anymore. He craned his neck as he walked toward the school, trying to catch a glimpse of small fashionable boy. It wasn't real until he could see Kurt for himself. He froze when he spotted him. His skin was pale and smooth as it had always been and his hair was perfectly styled, as it always was. He wasn't covered in blood, wasn't grey, wasn't dying. He was alive! Puck's heart stuttered as he looked and could do nothing but look. Kurt was at his locker, smiling, talking animatedly with Mercedes. All Noah could think of was wrapping Kurt in his arms and kiss the sense out of him. And why the hell shouldn't he? What the fuck did anyone else thought matter? Why shouldn't he just stride right over there and…

He had almost made the decision to move when Artie ran into him. Literally ran into his leg. And when Noah looked down, and Artie's brow was arched, he knew it was on purpose. He was ready to punch the boy for interfering, whether he was in a wheelchair or not, when Artie's expression changed. He was looking at him with eyes knowing and far older than they should have been. For a moment Puck was reminded of the being he had thought was Artie the night before and he realized now couldn't have been. There was something so inhuman about whoever had confronted him the night before and brought all of this on that could never have been part of Artie, no matter how wise his eyes were. Puck watched, nearly mesmerized, as Artie pulled the sleeve of his sweater up over his wrist. Puck's eyes went wide and he touched a hand to his chest, just over his heart where he knew the same symbol was scarred into his skin as if someone had burned him and it had healed long ago. The skin was white and the symbol was clear. Three stars connected by lines, a triangle. Puck's mouth fell open and he simply followed when Artie nodded toward the empty lab that hadn't been used in nearly a year due to an accidental explosion in one of the chemistry classes. No one had been hurt, but the school hadn't gotten the money yet to fix it up again. It was a popular place to make out as long as you didn't mind the sulfur egg smell of the room. They were in the classroom for nearly half a minute before Artie spoke.

"I never thought it would be you."

"Wait…What?" Puck's brow furrowed in confusion.

Artie rolled his eyes and looked at Puck like he was an idiot child, "When I woke up this morning and it was…this morning I was glad because I knew it had to be about Kurt. But, I never thought it would be you They would choose to change things. And why the hell did They choose you anyway, Puck? You hate Kurt. You used to toss him into dumpsters and push him into lockers." Artie wheeled right up to him. If he weren't in a chair, Puck knew he would be right in his face. He wasn't one to back down from a challenge from anyone.

"First of all, Abrams, who the hell are They? The only one I saw at the graveyard last night was you. You told me I could change things and it was you who got up, walked into the fog and…I'm sure you said more shit or whatever and this morning I woke up in my bed and it's a week ago and you don't remember the graveyard at all? That's fucked up." He poked Artie in the chest and was surprised when the boy didn't back off, but just slapped his hand away.

"No, you didn't see me last night, Puck. They appeared to you in a form you would understand and would lead you to someone who could help you through this. Didn't even ask me how I feel about it." Puck believed the look on Artie's face was the closest he had ever seen to a sneer as he looked Puck up and down. Puck felt small under the scrutiny and didn't like the feeling. He backed off a step so that he didn't have to look down at Artie and crosses his arms.

"Okay, great, whatever," He shrugged, "So, who the hell are They and why the hell do you remember when obviously no one else does?"

"It's not important. I'll explain later. What's important now is your connection with Kurt. Why did They choose you to change his murder?"

"The fuck it's not important, Abrams! I…" His mind finally caught up with everything Artie said and he stumbled and had to catch himself on the edge of a lab table, "Murder?" His knees went weak and wouldn't support him anymore. The grief came first and surprised him with its intensity as he slid into a sitting position and covered his face with his hands before scraping them over his hair. His voice came out in a whisper, "Kurt was murdered?"

Artie's hand, when it came down, was warm on his shoulder and his voice was much softer than it had been previously, "You seriously didn't know? It was all over the news. They called it a hate crime. Someone took credit for it, but didn't give names. Not even a group agenda. They just wanted people to know that they'd taken out the little gay boy."

"He wasn't hurting anyone!" Puck was glad when the anger came and he had the energy to push himself to his feet. He paced the room, trying to work through the rage that was working its way through him, making him see red, making it difficult to stay still, "He'd never hurt a fly! He…He's so innocent and good and someone just snatched his life away like it was nothing! Why? Because he's gay? What the fuck kind of excuse is that? He's the best person I've ever met! Who gives a shit who he falls in love with? Fuck!" He turned and punched the painted brick wall, glad for the pain that shot up his arms as his knuckles split. He punched again and again until his arm was numb. Only then did he realize that warm, angry tears were making their way down his face. He wiped them away with a quick, angry jerk and set his head against the cool wall for a moment. The brick felt good against his skin and helped cool him down. The anger had been the only thing keeping him up and he slid to his knees again, then turned to lean his back against the wall.

"That's why," Artie said quietly, breathing out on a sigh of disbelief. Puck's eyes opened slowly to look at him. He'd almost thought the other boy had left, but Artie was still right there, looking at him with understanding eyes, "Jesus. I never would have known. I mean, I saw your face when you saw him alive just now and everyone heard how you fell apart after he died. They said it took four people to drag you away from him when the paramedics wanted to put him in the body bag. We all saw you at the funeral. You looked like hell. And your mom told Mr. Schue that she was worried because you hadn't eaten since that day but, we all just figured it was guilt or something. You deserved to be guilty. You were such an ass to him. But…it's more than guilt, isn't it? You wouldn't cry for him if it was only guilt. You love him, don't you?"

Puck didn't respond, not sure that he could trust his voice, not sure if he would agree or deny purely on instinct if he tried to speak. He took a moment. If Artie was here to help him, he would have to tell him something. And maybe if he could admit something to Artie eventually he could say it to Kurt. Really say it. Kurt would need the words without hang-up, so he had to make a start now. He spoke quietly when he finally found him voice, admitting things he'd never even said out loud when he was alone, "We started sleeping together because no one else would sleep with me and I was practically gagging for some action. He was good. Best I'd ever had, truthfully, but I didn't think it was more than that until I was holding his hand and he was dying on the pavement."

Artie saw right through his difficulty and shoved it in his face. "And now you're going to…what?" Artie scoffed, "Change your ways? Hold Kurt's hand in the hallways? Be the perfect boyfriend?"

"I'm going to do whatever it takes to make him happy." Puck said quietly, knowing every word was true, hoping he had the strength to follow through on them, "If he wants to come out, we'll come out. It he wants to stay in the closet that's what we'll do. I watched him die, Abrams. I felt his body go cold. What the fuck does any of this high school shit matter compared to that? Compared to him? I won't watch that again. I can't. He deserves to be hppy. If I can do that, I'm going to."

"So...he's what's important now?" Artie asked slowly.

"Yeah," Puck sighed and ran a hand through his hair again, "I guess you could put it that way."

"Jesus Christ, Puck!" Artie suddenly shouted. Puck's head jerked up so fast his neck hurt. But Artie was smiling. "You might just be able to pull this off! I'll help you if I can. The first thing I can tell you is not to run up and freak out on him. Remember, he doesn't know he died. No one remembers that but you and me. You have to change things gradually or you might scare him off. You have a week to make him happy if that's what you've got in mind to do. One week. Got it so far?"

Puck nodded. Artie seemed to know what he was talking about and he needed all the help he could get it he was going to pull this off.

"I'll tell you more later," Artie said flippantly as he wheeled himself toward the door, "But, I'm not going to be late to class for you." He raised an eyebrow when Puck didn't move, "Well? You should probably go to the nurse for your hand."

Puck got up, looked at his bloodied knuckles, and slung his bag over his shoulder. Trying to save Kurt's life…trying to find a way to tell Kurt how he felt about him…taking advice from an Abrams who obviously knew a lot more than he was saying at the moment… Puck wondered as he walked out into the hall just when the hell his life had gotten so complicated and fucked up and why he had let it. He spotted Kurt, walking toward him arm in arm with Mercedes and felt his heart stutter when the image of his smiling, happy, alive face was overlaid with one that was slack, covered with blood and lifeless. That was why he was going to allow his life to remain complicated, he knew, to keep that smile on Kurt's face. To keep him alive. How had Artie put it? Kurt was what was important now. He was all that was important now. Puck walked to the nurse's office with a smile on his face.


	3. Chapter 3

**All previous disclaimers apply.**

**Author's Note: I've read so many stories where Puck's mom is a monster. We've only had one glimpse of her, so this is how I hope she'd actually be.**

**On another note, this chapter is rated M and I've come to realize that the story on a whole probably should be. For language, themes, and sex. So, in three days I'm going to be changing the rating, as per reviewer suggestion and my own personal feeling. Look for it in the M section from now on! Hope that doesn't put anyone off! T.H.**

Take it slow. The three words became Puck's mantra through out the very long day. He felt that he had managed admirably. He was pleased that his efforts were just enough to throw Kurt off balance a little, but not enough to alert anyone else to anything, not even Mercedes, though she was rarely far from Kurt's side. As they had passed each other in the hallway between classes he'd winked and smiled at the smaller boy, smile turning into a smirk when Kurt stumbled over his own feet in surprise. Kurt was leaving the lunch room just as he walked in and he allowed their fingers to brush subtly. Kurt hadn't really reacted to that one, but he'd responded in kind in the hallway later, allowing the back of his hand to brush Puck's thigh as they passed each other. Puck had grinned until Glee practice started. In practice itself it had been hard to keep his eyes off of Kurt. He was never more alive that when he was dancing. But, he had managed. He was satisfied with how the day had gone as he walked back to the choir room to retrieve his forgotten guitar. When he walked into the room he was surprised to see Kurt waiting there, Puck's guitar at his feet.

"What do you think you're doing?" Kurt demanded sharply. Puck had to fight back a grin at the bitchy tone. It was the first time he'd heard Kurt's voice, really heard him, since the accident. It was the sweetest sound he had ever heard. But, what the hell was Kurt so angry about? He took a moment to look the smaller boy over at his leisure, needing to though not willing to admit it. He looked hot, Puck could admit to himself as his mouth went dry. All perfect clothes and hair, standing there with a hand on a cocked hip and a pissed off expression on his face.

"I…uh…" Puck raised an eyebrow, unsure of how to proceed, cursing his lack of articulacy.

"You've been driving me insane all day thinking about what that wink and those little touches were supposed to mean!" Kurt elaborated, "You're not supposed to do that unless we have an evening together and it's some strange form of foreplay. Noah, we have standing days. Tuesdays and Fridays. Now, I understand that as a teenage boy your needs often change. But, if you feel the need for something in between those days you need to tell me. I can't read your mind," Kurt's nose wrinkled in distaste, "Ugh. I wouldn't even want to try."

Puck burst into laughter at that, happy when Kurt began to smile tentatively, "Fuck, Hummel, the mouth on you."

In more ways that one, Puck thought. He hadn't been able to take his eyes off of the perfectly formed mouth and the sharp words had turned him on. He stopped laughing suddenly when Kurt fixed him with what was supposed to be, he thought, a steady, arrogant gaze. But, his eyes ruined it. His eyes were hungry and disdainful at the same time. With a growl Puck crossed the room in two quick strides and backed Kurt into the wall in two more. Kurt looked up at him with wide, confused eyes for a moment and Puck realized that he hadn't kissed Kurt, really kissed him, since the first day they'd had sex in the locker room. There had never been a need for kisses. Kissing was too intimate. But, he wanted to do it now more than ever, so he didn't stop himself. At first, when he leaned his head down Kurt didn't seem to understand what he was after. He remained stiff and unyielding against the wall, his expression confused. With a growl, Puck grabbed the smaller boy's hands and put them around his neck. He leaned in close and caught the little gasp of Kurt's breath just as he fit their mouths together. At first Kurt remained stiff, surprised. But, it only took a moment more, a gentling of his mouth over Kurt's, and Puck moving his leg slightly so that it rested in between Kurt's thighs to have him relaxing, wrapping his arms more firmly around Puck's neck, and returning the kiss with fervor. He opened automatically, sweetly, when Puck coaxed his lips gently with a probing tongue and did a sort of sucking thing when he slipped his tongue into that sweet mouth that made Puck's knees weaken slightly and had him wondering just who was seducing who.

After a brief moment for breath, they both dived right back in, hotter, more desperate than before. Kurt made a sexy little sound of surprise from the back of his throat when Puck lifted his knee gently and put a little bit of pressure on his now very obvious arousal. It only took a couple more gentle nudges to have Kurt angling his hips rhythmically against his knee, making those sexy little sounds from the back of his throat even as they kissed. Puck traced his lips from Kurt's mouth up his cheek to his temple before mouthing his ear gently and nipping at the lobe. Kurt's sounds were more obvious and more desperate now that his mouth was free. One of his hands was in Puck's hair, the other wrapped around his shoulders, his hand gripping onto Puck's jacket like a lifeline. God, it was hot. Puck leaned in closer, pressed harder against Kurt's body, relishing the half scream that came from Kurt's mouth. He lowered his knee and pressed his pelvis against Kurt's so that their arousals brushed. Kurt's slacks and Puck's jeans were between them, but Puck could still feel the heat. He lost all coherent thought and began to grind in earnest, watching Kurt's face. His mouth was slightly open. He panted in between crying out in pleasure. But, his brow was furrowed and Puck knew that meant he couldn't quite reach that final pleasure. He wasn't ready to let it all go and Puck needed to see it. Suddenly he needed to know that he could bring Kurt that pleasure. Puck brought his hands down to grip Kurt's ass and dragged him up, helping him hitch his legs around his waist. Kurt cried out again and ground against him desperately.

"Come on," Puck whispered hoarsely, just at the shell of Kurt's ear. He ached to add an endearment to it, but knew that it would put Kurt on edge. Take it slow, he reminded himself, take it slow. "Let it go, Hummel. Just give it up."

And finally, finally, Kurt pulled back slightly, arching his back, and crying out sharply. Puck reveled in the sound and buried his face in Kurt's neck, sucking a blush to the surface as Kurt twitched in his arms with the intensity of his climax. He pulled back and smiled against Kurt's hair. He wanted to drop a kiss to it, but recognized that it would be too much too soon. So, instead he just held Kurt close and breathed in his sweet scent as Kurt finally went limp, his forehead dropping to Puck's shoulder and he panted as he came down from his climax.

"That was fast, Hummel," He laughed when he was sure that Kurt was coherent enough to understand. That sounded like something he'd say, didn't it? He lowered Kurt slowly to the floor and kept his hands on Kurt's waist only long enough to assure himself that the boy was steady on his feet. Then, he pulled back, crossed his arms, and smirked. Kurt looked thoroughly debauched. It was a good look, Puck decided.

"You've had me half hard all day," Kurt looked up at him and glared, "I suppose you want me to…" He gestured to the bulge in Puck's jeans.

"Naw, I'm good. That was just for you, Hummel. You can make it up to me tomorrow."

He placed one last quick, chaste kiss on Kurt's lips before ruffling his hair with a smile. The shocked, unsure, and cautiously pleased look on Kurt's face as he crossed back to the other side of the room and picked up his guitar was enough to have Puck smiling as he walked through the nearly empty school and got in his car. Maybe he wasn't going as slow as he should, but he had the feeling he was more than on the right track.

The confidence he had felt all day was nearly gone as he sat at the kitchen table later, pretending to do homework he cared nothing about and trying not to let his nervousness show through. He had started dinner, a casserole that was the only thing he knew how to make. It was in the oven. Miri had finished her homework and was watching some show or other in the living room that he was sure would make him throw up a little in his mouth if he even attempted to watch it with her. So, he tried to concentrate on his chemistry and tried not to jiggle his leg or tap his pencil nervously. That would be a dead give away. It was already going to be hard enough to tell his mother what he had to tell her without her picking up on it before he'd had the time to work up to it.

He shouldn't have even tried to hide it. As soon as she walked into the kitchen, her scrubs wrinkled and her shoes untied, she looked at what was going on and froze, "What's wrong?"

"Why should…" His voice came out too high and he cleared his throat before trying again, "Why does anything have to be wrong?"

"Noah," She half laughed, "You're my son and I love you, but thoughtful and studious are two traits you're not. At least not often. Starting dinner? Doing your homework before I yell at you five hundred times? Something's up. So…" She sat opposite him at the table, "Spill."

He looked down and realized that his knuckles were white where he was gripping the table. He forced himself to let go and winced when the blood went rushing back into his fingers.

"Noah," His mother reached over the small table and took one of his hands in her own, "What is it? Baby, just tell me. I promise you that nothing you say could ever make me love you any less."

"This might," Noah looked down again. He didn't want to see when his mother's eyes changed from love to disgust, but he figured it was like a band-aid. Rip it off fast and just get it over with, "Ma, I'm never going to bring home a nice Jewish girl."

"Okay," She sounded relieved that it wasn't something worse. The last thing he wanted to do was break her heart, "Noah, how could I hate you for that? You're in love?"

He nodded, but kept his eyes down, "Think so. If it's not love, it's the closest I've ever been."

"Then, I'm happy for you," Her voice was so honest, "I'd be happier if she was Jewish, but if you're in love, baby, who am I to keep you from her? I know how I get sometimes, but religion isn't everything. Besides, she could always convert. You should bring her by for dinner. I'm sure she's lovely. What's her name?"

"Ma…" His throat closed around the word, "Kurt. His name is Kurt."

"Kurt? What kind of name is that for…Oh. His name? Noah?" Her voice was so quiet. When he looked up and saw how white her face was, felt how slack her hand had gone on his, tears that he would never let fall filled his eyes.

He forced the next words, "Ma, I'm gay. Or at least bisexual. Kurt has a theory that I've been overcompensating with girls and women, but I don't know…I couldn't help it. I fell for him. He's so good and…beautiful. And he loves me. Sometimes he looks at me like…" He cut himself off and couldn't even feel shame when his voice came out pleading, "Ma? Ma, please say something. Tell me I disgust you. Kick me out. Just please say something. I'm so fucking sorry if I disappointed you."

"Language, Noah," Rebeka said quietly, "Just…be quiet for a moment. I need a moment, okay?"

"Okay," he whispered and went to the stove. He pulled out the casserole and set it on the counter before gripping the counter's edge and leaning against it. Why was this so hard? He loved his mother and he'd never had any doubts that she loved him as well. Perhaps that was why. There had only been a handful of people who had loved him, who he had let love him, since his father had cut out so many years ago. He had no idea what he'd do if she kicked him out, but it made him lose his breath to think about what it would mean if she didn't, couldn't, love him anymore. His vision grayed and he realized he was hyperventilating but couldn't do anything to stop it. He swayed, nearly fell, and suddenly his mother was beside him, helping him to sit against the counter. She pushed his head between his knees and set a hand to his back.

"Baby, breathe deep," She ordered in a calm, concerned voice, "Deep, slow breaths. That's good. That's right."

When he was finally able to breathe again he looked up and pulled her into a hug before she could leave. Rebeka held onto him tightly. So big and strong and still just her boy, her little boy. Scared and worried that she wouldn't love him anymore. She could feel his breath hot on her neck and felt the force of his trembling in an effort not to cry. Still her boy, she reminded herself as she held him. Still the same boy she had raised, the same boy he had been five minutes before. She pulled back and looked at his eyes, so hopeful, so scared. She didn't understand how any mother's love could change for her child no matter what she was told. She felt the tears slip from her eyes for the both of them.

"Baby, this is going to be hard for me," She admitted as she cupped his face in her hands, "I'm not going to be able to take it all in at once and I can't claim that I want to meet Kurt right away, but…You're my baby no matter what and I love you. I'm always going to love you. I'm not going to kick you out and you will never, ever disappoint me by being yourself and following your heart. Got that?"

He nodded, unable to say a word at all, knowing that what she was telling him now was beyond his wildest dreams. He attempted a smile. She pinched his cheek a little.

"Good. I'm going to need a few days to process. Can we talk about this again when Miri and I get home?"

He nodded again and knew that now was the time for words that he hadn't been able to speak for years, not even to her and Miri, "I love you, Ma."

Rebeka closed her eyes and smiled. She knew her children and she knew that Noah had had deep intimacy issues all his life. They probably stemmed from his father leaving and her issues after said event. By the time she had gotten herself together she hadn't been able to reach him anymore. Kurt might have something when he claimed that Noah had been overcompensating. She'd always known about the women and the girls, but what was she supposed to do? She'd known that if she pushed too hard, tried to get him to stop, she'd lose him. But now…He'd said he loved her for the first time in years. If he loved Kurt too than maybe his years of confusing sex with intimacy were over as well. She could hope. Maybe her son being gay was the best thing that could have happened to her family. Just maybe…

"I love you, too, Noah. Now, let's eat. Are you actually going to do your homework tonight?"

He stood, helped her up and simply grinned. She rolled her eyes.

"Didn't think so. Get the plates down."

He made a lazy salute at her, "Yes, drill sergeant."

She couldn't help but smile, "Smartass."

**A/N: Please read the Author's Note at the beginning of the chapter for an important note if you haven't already! T.H.**


	4. Chapter 4

**All previous disclaimers apply.**

"You seem to be on the right track," Artie's quiet voice jerked Puck out of a near doze as spent his study hall hour in the library not doing the homework he hadn't done the night before. His chair fell forward and back onto all of its legs. He scowled at the boy in front of him as his teeth slammed together, but he was grateful that his tongue wasn't between them and escaped unscathed.

Instead of any number of smartass remarks he could have said he only raised an eyebrow and said in a quiet voice so as not to attract any attention, "You think?"

"I do," Artie graced him with a smile, "You said you wanted to make him happy. He seems pretty happy to me."

"Yeah?"

"He's smiling today. It's not easy to make him smile around this time of year."

"This time of year?" Puck leaned in closer, "Okay. What is it I don't know, Abrams?"

"He never told you?" Artie looked at him with disbelief in his eyes.

"I…" Puck swallowed around the guilt that was in his throat all too often lately, "I told you…we didn't talk. Like at all. I…I didn't even think I cared until…"

"Until he died," Artie said quietly, "I get it."

"Are you going to tell me or what, Abrams?" Puck leaned back again and crossed his arms.

"Only because you should have known already," Artie snapped, then took a deep breath, "The anniversary of his mom's death is Thursday."

Puck's eyes went wide when he made the connection, "That's why he wanted to be over on Thursday," He dropped his head into his hands, "I didn't even ask why. I just figured he was horny like me and wanted an extra day. I knew he was feeling rough, but I just did everything like normal, like I didn't even care! Fuck, I'm such a bastard, Abrams."

"You're not going to get an argument from me, Puck. But, maybe by next Friday you won't be so much. I can see you're trying. And if I can see you're trying than They probably can, too."

"You've mentioned Them a lot," Puck said, bringing his head up again, "We have the time. Who are They? I only saw you that night and you're the only one who remembers what happened. And you have the same mark I have!"

"Yeah. The marks. Only other people who've had dealings with Them will be able to see your mark. And you'll be able to see theirs and so forth and so on and blah blah blah…" Artie waved his hand dismissively.

"I'm glad you're so used to it, Abrams. But, I'm not. Now…for the last time, who the fuck are They?"

"I'm sure They'll appear to you. Sooner or later They always do."

"Abrams…" Puck tried not to growl in his impatience.

"Fine, fine. Chill out, Puck. Someone told me when it happened to me, so I suppose I can tell you. They've gone by a lot of names over the years, appeared to a lot of people. They were first mentioned in Greek mythology. They were called the Fates. They spun destiny and clipped the string when it was time for someone to die. They've been mentioned again and again in literature. They're the three Guardians of Avalon. Shakespeare called them The Weird Sisters. Basically any trio of women with supernatural powers that has ever been written about is based on Them. They're immortal, all powerful, and, actually, really cool ladies. I'm sure you'll meet Them."

"So...wait…" Puck rubbed the bridge of his nose, trying to decide between laughing and pushing Abrams away. But, he was too angry for the first, and the second was something the person who let Kurt die not knowing that he loved him would have done. So, in his happy medium, he clenched one hand into a tight fist and tried to stave off the headache that was threatening behind his eyes with the other, "These three chicks have nothing better to do with eternity than screw with our lives? That sounds like bullshit to me. Why'd They choose you? Why'd They choose me and Kurt?"

"They'll have to tell you that Themselves. I don't know why They choose who They choose." Artie held out his open palms in a gesture of innocent exasperation.

"What happened to you that They decided needed to be changed?" Puck asked on a whim.

Artie stiffened and his face went hard, but Puck didn't miss the hurt and fear in his eyes along with a good deal of shame, "I…" The bell rang, "I'll tell you some other time. Gotta go."

"Fuck!" Puck slammed his hands onto the desk as Artie wheeled himself away. Now he had more information, knew less than he had before, and he'd managed to piss Artie off in the process. Piss him off or hurt him. Puck wasn't exactly sure which had happened. No matter how much he regretted the look in Artie's eyes he wasn't even sure he believed what he'd told him. There had to be another explanation. Of course he couldn't quite think of one. He couldn't explain going back in time a week and he couldn't explain the scars that he and Artie shared. If Artie hadn't remembered Kurt's death, he might have thought it all a dream. A horrible dream that he liked to think would have been enough to get him to change, but a dream none-the-less. But, against all logic and nature, Artie did remember, he had actually lived this week before, and Artie was certain that it was because three immortal chicks had taken an interest in him. But seriously, a trio of women who just happened to have power over fate? That was it! Abrams had lost his mind. Maybe that was why he remembered shit he shouldn't remember. Because his explanation about the three women couldn't be true. It was absolutely ridiculous.

"Of course it's ridiculous, Noah. Some of the truest things are." A voice, low and sweet, whispered just next to his ear. He whipped his head around, but there was no one there.

"And he's right," Another disembodied female voice, this one higher, giggled, "You are doing very, very well."

"Keep it up," A third voice, rougher, but just as female, "We don't do this for just anyone." There was a slight breeze in the library though no doors or windows were open and Puck shivered when he felt, beyond a shadow of a doubt, a warm hand run through his Mohawk and rest on his shoulder for just a moment before it left. The breeze died, and the feeling that he wasn't alone died with it. He was out of his chair in seconds, tossing his bag over his shoulder and doing his best not to run from the room. Because he was badass and his badassness demanded that he didn't run from anything…especially fate-controlling, invisible women.

"Are you alright?" Kurt asked quietly as they were getting water when Coach Tanaka allowed them a break in practice. Once again, Puck's mind warred between loving the fact that they had done so well last season and cursing the same fact. Coach Tanaka was so into winning next season –and the basketball team had done even worse than the football team that winter- that for some fucking strange reason Puck would never understand they were practicing in the spring and if Coach had his way they would do the same all through the summer. It had been hard enough to handle Glee, football, and school in the fall. It was just as hard, if not harder, now. Tanaka was fucking insane, he decided. But if Puck were ever going to have a hope of getting out of Lima the only way he was going to do it was through a football scholarship. He held no illusions about his grades or his test scores. They were just good enough that if he could impress a school enough into giving him a scholarship he wouldn't have to worry. And in order to do that the team needed to get scout attention. In order to do that they had to start winning. The extra, insane, practices would help. The other great hope for their team was standing in front of him in the form of the flamboyant kicker Puck was pretty sure he…Strangely enough, practice was one of the few places they could ever talk to each other openly because the rest of the team wouldn't really talk to Kurt and so it was expected that he talk to Puck, Finn, Matt, or Mike. Puck brought his mind back to what Kurt was saying instead of just concentrating on his mouth. "You seem a little off."

"Fine," Puck flashed him a slow smile, "Just fine." The tone was laced with his hopes for their evening together. It was Friday, after all.

Kurt picked up on his tone, flushed slightly, and lowered his eyes after making sure that there was no one else in earshot, "My dad is going to the bar with the guys from the garage tonight. We'll have until at least midnight."

"Good," Puck grinned again and looked around to make sure no one was paying attention to them before running his fingertips over the back of Kurt's neck, the only bare skin he could reach without being obvious at the moment, "We'll be able to take our time. I'll be there after I shower."

Kurt shivered. "Don't be long," He whispered.

That simple sentence had Puck relaxing. Kurt would never have said something like that before. The fact that he was telling Puck how much time they had, allowing him to touch him in public, and making demands, even as sweet and hot as they were, were all good signs that he was getting more comfortable. Puck would have liked to take this much slower than he was going to have to. He would have liked to have a month to be able to seduce Kurt slowly, and tell him how he felt after proving beyond a shadow of a doubt with his actions that he wasn't lying. But, Kurt's death was exactly a week and twenty minutes from where they were now and if he had any hope of keeping Kurt away from the school that day, of Kurt trusting him enough to stay away, loving him enough to believe him, than he needed to go faster with his plans than he liked. He just hoped it wouldn't be too fast. If he went too fast and Kurt thought that he was playing with him he would lose his trust forever and not only lose Kurt, but Kurt would die again not knowing that Noah…not knowing how much he cared. And how the hell was he supposed to tell Kurt something he couldn't even say in his mind? It was just three words. It shouldn't be as hard as it was. He grabbed his facemask and held in a scream of frustration as Kurt walked toward the school and the showers.

"Puckerman, get in formation! You still have fifteen minutes left, buddy!" Coach Tanaka glared and yelled. Puck resisted the urge to give his coach the bird and did as he was told. For the first time, though, he actually wondered why it was that Kurt left practice early every time. He didn't do it at Glee. Puck resolved to ask him when they were alone.

Kurt's face when he did ask was flushed and embarrassed as he looked down at his floor. He was sitting on the edge of his bed, his clothes rumpled and his hair mussed from the short, desperate make-out session they'd had when Puck first got to his house. It felt good to make out. He liked making out with Kurt. And it seemed to make Kurt happy. He'd been smiling until Puck had asked the question. Now he looked adorable, and sad, and a little angry. Puck sat down on the bed next to him.

"After Coach Tanaka asked me to come back to the team and I agreed, he suggested it," Kurt finally answered.

"Why?" Puck asked, confused, sure he was missing something.

"He says it's because he thought I would be more comfortable," Kurt laughed without humor, "But I know it's not my comfort he's worried about. He doesn't want the rest of the team to be forced to shower with the faggot despite the fact that I helped win more games last season than the school has ever won before and I intend to do so again in the fall."

"I don't ever want to hear you call yourself that again, Kurt," Puck growled.

"Excuse me?" Kurt sounded genuinely shocked that Puck would speak to him like that. It was progress. But, Puck didn't linger on that.

"I don't want to hear you ever call yourself a faggot again," Puck knew his voice was low and rough and hoped that Kurt was picking up on his distress and anger, "It's bullshit and I won't put up with it. Neither should you."

"Noah…" Kurt smiled and blushed a little, "This protective streak is really rather unexpected and…charming. I like it. But, you do know that I'm going to put out either way, don't you?" His voice had gone low and soft, seductive. He leaned in close and paused for a moment, looking up at Puck with a question in his eyes. Puck just looked back, raised an eyebrow. Kurt must have seen what he wanted to see because it only took another moment for him to close the distance between them and place a gentle kiss to Puck's neck, just under his jaw and pulled back again. Puck struggled to keep his shudder hidden. They'd only really been making out for two days and already Kurt was finding the spots that made him hot. He cupped Kurt's chin in his hand and leaned in to kiss him softly. Kurt moaned from the back of his throat and fell into the kiss, wrapping his arms around Puck's waist. Puck put his hand to the back of Kurt's head and slipped his fingers into the soft hair to angle Kurt's head slightly and make the kiss better for both of them. He licked Kurt's bottom lip gently and moaned when Kurt opened for him sweetly.

"Fuck, Hummel," He moaned when he finally pulled away, "We should have been making out from the beginning. You're a great kisser."

"Compliments, Noah?" Kurt asked, his arched eyebrow and haughty look being ruined by the way he was blushing prettily and panting slightly, "I already told you that you're getting into my pants no matter what, did I not?"

"Right now I'm more interested in getting you out of your pants," Puck leered. Kurt rolled his eyes, but made no objection when Puck stood and began removing his clothing. He watched as Kurt did the same. This was how it had gone before. They would meet at the decided upon location, undress, and get right to business without foreplay. But, this time they watched each other as they undressed. Puck was pulling off his socks, getting ready to undo the buttons of his jeans, when he noticed Kurt watching, his hands stalled on his shirt. Puck smiled and slipped the jeans off slowly, watching Kurt's eyes go wide and aroused as he did so. He gave himself a couple of strokes and then smiled at his lover, still frozen.

"Going to stay in your clothes all day?" He asked quietly. Kurt unfroze at that moment and began unbuttoning his shirt again, faster this time.

"Hey," Puck called softly. Kurt looked up at him shyly, "Slow down. No rush. I like to watch."

"Perv," Kurt said mildly. Puck shrugged and moved to the bed, sitting as Kurt began to slowly take off his shirt. His eyes never left Puck's as he pulled his slacks down over slim hips and the curve of his ass and he smiled when Puck's eyes landed on his cloth covered erection, then darted back up to Kurt's eyes. Puck stroked himself again as Kurt stepped out of his pants and very deliberately turned his back on Puck as he bent over and pulled off his socks. Puck had to fight not to leap up and press himself against the swell of Kurt's ass. It was a thing of beauty, he could admit to himself, Kurt's ass was. It was firm and tight and god…He gripped the base of his cock. It wouldn't do to disgrace himself like a twelve year old. He nearly stopped breathing when Kurt smiled over his shoulder, hooked his thumbs in his boxer briefs, and pulled them down slowly. His mouth went dry when Kurt's smooth, pale skin was revealed to him completely. He smiled when Kurt turned around and he could see that he was as aroused as Puck. Kurt's smile was shy as his blush spread to his upper chest. He kept his eyes on Puck as he moved back to the bed and kept their eyes locked until he climbed on the bed. He turned his backside to Puck and shot him a dark, hot look over his shoulder.

It was too soon to expect a complete deviation from their normal routine, Puck knew. They didn't really do foreplay. The making out was more than he could have expected. He shot Kurt a look he hoped conveyed how hot he was for him and knew he had succeeded when Kurt moaned a little, sounding like his was trying to keep it in, and pushed his ass back a little in Puck's direction. Puck knew from their previous experiences that Kurt kept the lube in his bedside drawer and he grabbed it before kneeling on the bed behind his small, unbelievably hot lover. Kurt suppressed a giggle at the coolness of the lube against his skin when Puck spread a little around his hole, then hissed in arousal when the first finger penetrated him. Usually Puck just stuck two fingers in, scissored them a little, and went for it. But, today he wanted to see Kurt fall apart, wanted to hear him beg. He fucked Kurt slowly with one finger until Kurt was pushing back on it, then added a second finger and searched for the little spongy spot that would make Kurt see stars. He knew he had found it when Kurt keened and pressed back against his fingers. Puck smiled and dropped a kiss to Kurt's shoulder blade before adding a third finger and hitting the spot again. Kurt whined and pushed back.

"What, babe?" Puck's voice was gravelly with his own arousal, "Does that feel good?"

Kurt simply whined again, dropping his head, and clenching his eyes shut.

"You're going to have to tell me what you want if you want it, Kurt."

"Noah…" Kurt moaned.

"Tell me, babe. Tell me what you need." Puck whispered before licking a line gently up the sensitive curve of Kurt's ear.

"Please, Noah?" It came out as a question and Puck hit the spot again, making Kurt keen and grip the bedspread so tight his knuckles were white.

"Please what?"

"Please…" Kurt was blushing fiercely now, but he didn't sound embarrassed, so Puck felt no need to stop. He placed another kiss to Kurt's shoulder and sped the thrusting of his fingers, "Please, Noah. I need more. I…I need you to…"

"Say it, babe. Please just say it." Puck hadn't realized how much he needed to hear it until that moment.

"I need you to fuck me," Kurt whispered.

"Whatever you want," Puck leered, trying not to show how high he felt just getting Kurt to say how much he needed him. His hands were shaking as he pulled the condom out of Kurt's bedside drawer and rolled it over his straining cock. He got to his knees and positioned himself at Kurt's entrance.

"Ready?"

"Now," Kurt panted, "Please."

Puck pushed in and didn't try to hold back his moan as Kurt let out a strangled cry, "Fuck. You're so tight. You're always so tight."

"Noah," Kurt moaned, "Harder."

Puck complied, gripping Kurt's hip with one hand. He would be embarrassed if all of this wasn't so hot. In the past two days his control had been next to gone. He had almost come in his pants just from rubbing up against Kurt and now he had barely been inside Kurt for a minute and he was feeling his climax approaching. He closed his eyes and thought of as many unsexy things as he could. His mother in a bikini. Finn's mailman. Schuester getting it on with Pillsbury. But, Kurt's noises were making it hard to concentrate. He always made them, but Puck had never paid attention to them before. His high pitched little moans were strangled and held behind his teeth as if he didn't want anyone to know just how much he was enjoying himself. Puck wanted to hear them. He leaned over Kurt's back, one hand wrapping around his waist and the other moving to stroke Kurt in time to his thrusts. With the new angle Puck struck Kurt's prostate with every stroke and he was rewarded when Kurt opened his mouth and the strangled moans became hot little cries with every thrust and stroke.

"Oh, God," Kurt moaned. He threw his head back onto Puck's shoulder and Puck took the opportunity to kiss and nip at the sensitive column of his neck.

"So hot," Puck murmured in return.

"Noah…I'm…"

"I know," Puck sped both his hips and his hand, "Me, too. Go ahead."

As if he had needed Puck's permission, Kurt cried out once more and came, his seed spilling onto Puck's hand and the bedspread beneath them. His body tightened and Puck gave into his body and came hard, the arm around Kurt's waist tightening. When he came back down from his high he realized that he had been resting all of his weight on Kurt's back and the smaller boy's arms were now shaking in an effort to keep them up.

"Sorry," He muttered, shifting his weight back to his knees. He looked down at his hand and, making sure Kurt was still out of it enough not to notice, licked it clean. It wasn't the best thing he had ever tasted, and he was sure that it would never be something that he really liked, but it wasn't all that bad. He decided he wouldn't be opposed to tasting it again if the opportunity ever arose. He moved the arm from around Kurt's waist to help guide himself out of the tight body beneath him. Kurt gave a whimper when he pulled out, but sat on the bed smiling as Puck removed and threw away the condom. Puck went into the bathroom and wiped himself off before coming back into the room and tossing the towel at Kurt. Kurt laughed when the towel landed over his head just as Puck had intended it to.

"That was…intense," He said quietly as he cleaned himself off and Puck pulled on his jeans.

"That was fucking awesome," Puck corrected, handing Kurt his underwear.

"Agreed," Kurt said as he pulled them on.

"You want to watch a movie or something?" Puck asked.

"I'm sorry?" Kurt paused in the middle of reaching down to grab his shirt. Puck tossed him his own t-shirt and moved back to the side of the bed.

"Well, you said we have until at least midnight. I figured we could put on a movie, recover a bit, maybe order a pizza or something, then have some more fun."

Kurt's eyes were wide with shock for a moment, but they softened as he took in Puck's words and pulled the t-shirt over his head, "That sounds fine."

"Great," Puck sat on the bed, leaning against the headboard, "You choose. But, no musicals, got it?"

"Got it," Kurt smiled at him before moving to put in a movie. When he got back to the bed he sat down next to Puck, their thighs and shoulders touching. Puck wanted to take Kurt in his arms more than anything, but figured that they had taken enough steps for one day and he didn't want to push his luck. He satisfied himself when, halfway through the movie, Kurt put his head on his shoulder and didn't flinch in the slightest when Puck set a hand to his bare knee. Later, when he was in his own bed, looking up at the ceiling with his hands behind his head, Puck couldn't help but grin. It had been a good day. Kurt had allowed him to give him a goodnight kiss before he left. And Artie and the weird, disembodied, creepy as hell voices were right. (And not even the voices could get him down.) He was definitely on the right track.


	5. Chapter 5

**All previous disclaimers apply.**

**Author's Note: Sort of a short chapter. Next one might be kind of short, too, but they should get longer again after that. Please leave a comment if you have time. I really appreciate the feedback. I know Puck's getting a little OOC and he'll probably get more so as the story goes on. Please forgive! Happy reading! T.H.**

For the past two days it had been hard for Puck to spend even a single hour away from Kurt. Even being away from him overnight was hard. So when he woke up on Saturday morning and realized that he would have to spend the day away from Kurt completely, he put the pillow over his face and screamed into it. When he finally forced himself out of the bed and into the kitchen he realized that it was only nine o'clock in the morning and couldn't help but smile. Both his mother and Kurt would be shocked, he thought, to see him out of bed before noon on a weekend. He wondered why he had woken up so early for only a brief moment before deciding it didn't matter. It sucked not having many friends, he realized as he sat down in front of the television with a bowl of cereal and watched the Saturday morning cartoons. He could try to call up Matt or Mike, but chances were that they were over at Finn's house. It had been kind of a tradition for the four of them to stay at Finn's every Friday night and play video games until four in the morning and not wake up until noon on Saturday. And as much as he wanted someone to hang out with, he didn't want to ruin something else for Finn by making him feel like their issues would force their friends to choose between them. So far they had addressed it by having video game night one week with Finn and the next week with Puck.

He put his cornflakes aside. All of the sudden they didn't taste as good as they had. He had to admit that video game night wasn't the same without Finn. Nothing was the same without Finn. He had messed up when he had hurt Finn so badly, he knew it. And for what? A night with a girl he hadn't even really wanted? He wasn't the same person he'd been when he allowed himself to sleep with Quinn Fabray despite the fact that she was dating his best friend. Yes, he'd been drunk, but he hadn't been drunk enough not to know that it was wrong. And what had he gotten in return? His best friend couldn't been in the same room with him without wanting to physically hurt him, the mother of his baby wanted him to have nothing to do with her or their child, and his daughter would never even know that he existed. He groaned and covered his face. He'd seriously fucked up his life. He didn't want to be that person anymore. Didn't want to carry around so much guilt. He wanted to be someone worthy of Kurt's love and the devotion the smaller boy showed him. And to do that, he was going to have to make everything in his life as right as possible. Or at least get the ball rolling. For the second time that morning, he covered his face with a pillow and screamed. Why did this shit have to be so hard?

His revelation did nothing to ease the burden on his heart. If anything it just made the fist in his chest tighten with nerves that he knew would only get worse until he could actually speak with Finn and Quinn. He wanted to talk to Kurt about all of this. He felt the need as keenly as his nerves. He wanted to get Kurt's opinion, hear what Kurt had to say. But more than wanting to work though his problems with Kurt, he just wanted someone he knew would still love him after everything was done to be there to listen to him. He could always tell his mother, he knew. If she could accept the fact that he was…gay she could accept anything and still love him when he was finished talking. But, he wanted it to be Kurt because he wanted to Kurt to see that he was trying to change himself into someone that Kurt would be proud to come out of the closet with and hold hands with in the hall. He moaned into the pillow still over his face. He was seriously gay. And he was seriously –God, he had to be able to say it to himself if he was ever going to have a hope of saying it to Kurt- in…(Well, maybe it was too soon.) Deep like. Deep like sounded good. He was seriously in deep like with Kurt Hummel. He wanted nothing more to be with Kurt now, but he knew it was too much. They didn't really see each other when it wasn't one of their days. The fact that they'd been together two days in a row had already been pushing it. He wanted to pull Kurt closer, not push him away. And he'd already established that. God, all of this shit was making him think in circles. He needed something to distract himself.

He took the pillow off of his face and looked around the apartment for something to do that would keep his mind off of Finn, Quinn, and Kurt. The sun slanting in the window illuminated the dust on the TV and little table the lamp sat on. He had never noticed just how quickly the apartment could get dusty. He didn't allow himself to really think about what he was doing before he grabbed the rag and lemon oil his mother kept under the sink. Because, seriously, Puck cleaning of his own free will? Forget being surprised, his mother would have a heart attack if she saw him. He put on some of his mother's old Neil Diamond records because they sounded so much better than his CDs and got to work, cleaning and singing along, every once in a while taking thirty seconds to dance a little after which he always looked around suspiciously to make sure that no one had seen. Their apartment wasn't exactly big, he found out, when it only took him a couple of hours to have the living room, kitchen, and bathroom sparkling clean. He looked at the clock again. Not even noon. He turned to his room and shrugged. Might as well. Humming along to "I Am…I Said" he took on his room. He hadn't cleaned his closet in years and, less than an hour later, found himself sitting in the middle of his floor surrounded by things that he had to stuff into bags to be taken to Goodwill. It took him another hour to actually organize after he had put all of the bags out into the hall, and he marveled at the difference when he could actually walk across his floor without tripping over anything. After he had finished with his room, which now looked better than it had since he was in grade school and he couldn't wait to see Kurt's reaction when he next brought him over, he stripped his bed and took his sheets, and all of the dirty clothes he had found as he was cleaning to the washer. He nearly went across the hall to ask Mrs. Guttenberg how to work the washer, but finally figured it out. He nodded and grinned when he put only whites in a load. He had seen enough movies where a guy put colors with whites and ended up with pink socks and underwear. And even though he was completely badass and could pull off pink underwear he was proud that he was smart enough not to have to.

After the first load was in the dryer and the second in the washer, he decided that he had the time and it wasn't very far away, so he loaded the bags of things still good enough to donate into his truck and drove them to the Goodwill. He actually paid attention to the noises his truck was making that he had ignored for a couple of weeks on the way home. And so, after folding the clothes in the dryer, throwing the second load in, and putting away the folded clothes, he put on his car clothes and got under the truck, trying to see what was wrong. After nearly an hour of tinkering, he still couldn't find what it was and reminded himself to have Kurt look at it when they had a little bit of time. Kurt was so good with cars. It had been a complete shock to Puck when one day when he had complained about his truck making noises just after Kurt have given him a look when he'd shown up late Kurt had simply asked for his keys and marched outside. He'd been shocked enough into giving up the keys and staring after Kurt for nearly thirty seconds until he'd finally gotten the will to move and had walked outside to see Kurt bent over his engine. It had been insanely hot to see Kurt's hands covered in grease and oil that he had transferred to his cheek when he rubbed it and told Puck that he just had to get a wrench and he could fix the rattling. At first Puck had felt a little embarrassed that Kurt knew more about cars than him. Now it was just a completely hot convenience. The fact that Kurt was a grease monkey when he was so prissy when it came to everything else just made Puck grin.

Fuck, he was back to thinking about Kurt. He walked back into his apartment half hard and more than a little uncomfortable. But, now he couldn't stop himself from thinking about the smaller boy. He thought about him all through his shower, when he jerked off in said shower, all through making himself an early dinner because there was nothing else to do and he had skipped lunch, and all through eating it while he watched some ridiculous discovery channel special on the survivors of the Holocaust that his mother had recorded and considered calling her. He wanted her to be proud of what he had done all day, wanted her to be proud of him, but his finger stopped on the call button. He was pretty sure she already thought he was on drugs and this might just push her over the edge a little. He didn't want to worry her and have her and Miri come back early from the sleep away camp thing. She already had enough to worry about when it came to him. He finished watching the documentary, didn't admit –even to himself- that his eyes were more than moist, and tried to think of something else to do. When he came up with absolutely nothing he strolled back into his room to grab his guitar and his eye caught the backpack hanging innocently off of his desk chair. He told himself that he wasn't seriously considering actually doing his homework until he was hunched over his desk, the glasses he would never admit to having on the end of nose, writing a paper about something he actually knew something about, thanks to his mother's obsession with her children knowing everything there was to know about the Holocaust, what had led to it, specific pogroms enacted during the course of the war and genocide, etc… When he had finished the paper he was surprised at the sense of accomplishment he felt. He wanted to share it with someone.

A phone call couldn't hurt, he thought. In fact, it would probably be a good step to showing Kurt that he wanted something other than sex. He just had to keep his mind focused. They had exchanged numbers when they had decided it was safer to move their encounters to Kurt's house. They'd never actually called each other, but they had texted a lot to set up concrete times and so that Kurt could confirm that his father was, indeed, out of the house. He got comfortable on his freshly made bed and looked Kurt up in his phone, pausing only a moment to take a deep breathe before hitting the talk button. Kurt picked up on the third ring.

"Noah?" He sounded disbelieving.

"Hi," Puck let out the breath he hadn't even realized he'd been holding, "Uh...is this a bad time?"

"No," Kurt sounded just as nervous as Puck was, "I just got done doing the dishes. My father's watching Deadliest Catch or something equally inane." He paused for a moment, then finally asked the question Puck had been waiting for, "Why are you calling?"

Puck decided to be honest, "Guess I just wanted to hear your voice."

"Oh," Kurt sounded understanding, "Okay…What do you want me to say so that you can get off?"

"I…huh?" Puck looked at the phone, disbelieving, until he realized that Kurt couldn't see him.

"You do want me to talk dirty to you so that you can get off, don't you?" He brought the phone back to his ear just in time to hear Kurt's confident question.

"No!" He denied immediately, and then thought better, "Not that it isn't a good idea and we should totally do it sometime, but maybe later, okay?"

"Are you sure?" Kurt sounded a little less sure of himself now.

"I'm sure, Kurt," Puck laughed softly, "I'm still completely dressed. I didn't call for that. If I ever call you just for phone sex I promise I'll start with something really corny and stupid, okay?"

"Like what?" Kurt asked, and there was a hint of laughter in his voice that had Puck relaxing, "Just so I don't get confused again."

"Something like 'What are you wearing?' or 'Talk dirty to me.' or something like that."

"Those are horrible," Kurt giggled.

"Told you they would be." He was glad it was feeling more relaxed now.

"Yes, you did," Kurt agreed, then got quiet for a long moment.

"Kurt, you still with me?" Puck asked.

"I am," Kurt answered, "I have to ask you something."

"So, shoot."

"Last night, when we were…"

"Having sex?"

"Yes, that."

"What about it?" Puck knew where this was going and was a little nervous. He felt his breath hitch in his chest a little.

"You called me babe. You've never called me anything like a term of affection before. I…"

"Kurt, I…" Puck tried to interrupt. Kurt didn't let him.

"I liked it. A lot. But, I'm scared that I liked it too much, Noah. When we started all of this I know we agreed that…but now…I can't let you break my heart, Noah." Kurt sounded so scared and impossibly young.

Puck took a deep breath. He hadn't expected to have this conversation so soon. He didn't know how to approach it. Too much, too little, and he would lose Kurt. Too fast, too slow. Too soon, not soon enough. All of the possibilities were starting to make his head spin. He actually had to remind himself to breathe before he could answer.

"Kurt...I don't want to hurt you. And I'm not planning on it. I…Maybe when we started all of this it didn't mean anything, but now…" He had a sudden inspiration, "How about a picnic?"

"What?" Puck could hear Kurt's disbelief and hope over the phone.

"A picnic. You and me. Tomorrow. I'll pick you up. You bring a blanket and something to drink and I'll provide the food. We can talk about this and whatever else you want to talk about. I just feel like we shouldn't try to do it over the phone. Sound okay?"

"Sounds great," Kurt agreed, "Noon?"

"Perfect. The weather's supposed to be good," Puck sighed in relief, glad he had kind of dodged the bullet for one more day and Kurt was still sounding happy. He had kind of pushed them from fuck buddies into maybe something more without giving them an actual definition. He figured that was good enough for now, "So…what are you wearing?"

Kurt laughed long and hard and had Puck grinning from ear to ear, "Are you serious, Noah?"

"Not really," Puck chuckled quietly.

"Good. I better get going. If we're going out tomorrow I need to finish my homework tonight."

"All right," Puck agreed, "I'll see you tomorrow at noon."

"Goodnight, Noah."

"Goodnight, Kurt."

He set the phone on his bedside table and smiled softly up at the ceiling, "I have a date with Kurt Hummel." He whispered the words to the quiet and the stars that were just starting to come out. Somehow the words made it easier to breathe. He fell asleep an hour later with the smile still on his face.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: I know this seems a little fast, but it felt right to me. I apologize if it's too OOC for everyone else! Hope it doesn't ruin anything for anyone! Please review if you have time. I could really use the encouragement and the criticisms. Thank you and happy reading! T.H.**

Noah Puckerman didn't date, he realized the next morning as he tried to put together a picnic lunch. He actually couldn't think of a time he had ever taken a girl, much less a guy, on a single date. Even when he had been with Rachael –granted that had only been all of a week and it had consisted of practicing music and making out almost exclusively- they had never actually gone any place to be alone beside her bedroom. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do. He had tried his hardest to come up with something that he thought Kurt would like, but then he realized that there was nothing in his refrigerator that Kurt would even really touch. It was all junk food and frozen dinners because his mother knew she would be out of town for a week and most likely anything remotely healthy she left in the fridge would go bad because he wouldn't bother to touch it. God, he really was an ass. He reminded himself to actually go grocery shopping so that the fridge would be stocked for her and Miri when they got home after his date with Kurt. Maybe Kurt would want to come with him. That could be fun. He smiled briefly even as he looked down at the empty picnic basket. He could imagine following Kurt around the store as he pulled ridiculous things off the shelves and lectured Puck on the nutritional values and which foods promoted good skin health and better digestion. It was actually kind of fun to think about. He groaned and bent over, pressing his forehead to the cool counter. He had it bad if he was thinking along the lines of the domestic and smiling about it. And his badassness was totally in question here. He was so gay. He moaned again.

"If you don't get your ass moving, Noah Puckerman, you are going to be late," The same sweet voice he had first heard in the library whispered in his ear. He yelped and jumped when he felt an invisible hand swat his butt.

"He might not forgive you if you're late. He's always very punctual, after all," The high, giggling voice surrounded him and he felt himself shoved toward the door. He yelped again and managed to grab onto the picnic basket before he was shoved out of the kitchen.

"Go to a deli. A good one. Get something that's on the expensive line. Show him that you actually care enough to get something that he would actually eat. Your mother left money in your good coat. She's a smart one." The rough voice said and his leather jacket flew out of the closet and smacked him in the face. He pulled it down and tried to turn, to maybe catch a glimpse of the women pushing him, but suddenly the front door opened.

"You broads are pushy!" He grunted as he was pushed out of the apartment and the door slammed and locked. The female giggling behind the door made him groan. He reminded himself to call Artie as soon as he had some time. He wanted to know if They had been this pushy when Artie was dealing with Them.

"I need my…" He called out.

"It's in your pocket, dumbass!" A voice from behind the door called out, "Get moving!"

He pulled his phone and keys out of his pocket and rolled his eyes, "This is really fucked up!" He yelled at the door.

"So is talking to yourself in the hallway! Turn around, crazy!" One voice called, but all three voices laughed. Puck went red and turned to see Mrs. Guttenberg, ninety if she was a day, staring at him from her own door.

"Sorry, Mrs. Guttenberg!" He yelped, "I'm just gonna…I…Have a good day, Mrs. Guttenberg, Freckles." He nodded at her miniature Doberman, satisfied when the dog only growled and didn't bark, and took off down the hall, grumbling about pushy, invisible women the entire time. He didn't see Mrs. Guttenberg smile at his retreating form, or the small bow she leveled at his door before she pulled Freckles inside and went back to her stories.

He realized his palms were sweating when he rang the doorbell to Kurt's house. He'd never actually met But Hummel and he was a little scared, though he didn't even want to admit that to himself. Because as much as he liked to think he was badass, Burt Hummel was the definition of badass. He was a big, working class man who had managed to make a debutante fall in love with and marry him and he had loved her until the day she died. Then, he had raised his son all alone while running his own business and making sure his baby boy had everything he wanted. He was a simple man, didn't really understand his gay son at all, but loved him enough to assure Kurt that his sexuality had no effect on Burt's love for him. He stood up for his son and anyone could see that Kurt was the light of his life. To Noah that kind of love and devotion to your kid was what made a badass. In his more sentimental moments, he wished his own father had been like Burt Hummel. Burt Hummel was what a father should be. And if he had any sense at all, when he answered the door, he'd pull a gun on Puck and tell him not to come anywhere near his son ever again. Puck didn't realize that he'd locked his knees until Kurt opened the door, smiled softly at him, and his knees went weak with relief.

"Your dad isn't home?" It escaped his mouth before he could stop the words.

"No," Kurt looked confused, "He's out to lunch with my grandparents. We usually do that on Sundays. I told him I had too much homework. Should I have said something else? Did you want to meet him?" He cocked his head to the side like a puppy and Puck had to resist the urge to lean in and kiss the sense out of him. They had plenty of time for that.

"No!" The word wooshed out of him and they both laughed a little nervously, "I mean, your dad terrifies me, dude, and if you had told him we were going on a date he probably would have busted my kneecaps or something."

"First of all, Noah, that's the Russian. We're German. We break arms. Secondly, I've told you not to call me 'dude.' And lastly, is that what this is? Are we going on a date?"

Noah rolled a shoulder back uncomfortably, "Kinda what I thought it was."

"Well, then, do I get flowers?"

Puck shrugged and held out his empty hands.

"Hmm," Kurt set a finger to his lip as if considering, "Granted, you've never been on a date with me and don't even know my favorite flowers yet. I don't eat chocolate very often, so that would have been a waste…So what else it there? Ah, yes…Aren't you going to tell me how nice I look?" Kurt set a hand to a cocked hip and raised an eyebrow. For the first time Puck actually looked at him. What he saw made him smile. Kurt had on skinny jeans (Puck didn't think he owned a pair of jeans that weren't cut like a girls), a pinstriped button down that he'd rolled up to his elbows and left untucked, and a plain black vest. He looked almost normal. Puck would never admit it, but he actually admired that Kurt loved to experiment with fashion. It was one of the things that made Kurt, well, Kurt. He wouldn't be himself without it. But, the fact that he'd toned it down for Puck, thinking it would make him more comfortable, made him smile.

"Fuck, Kurt," He mumbled, looking down, "You look good in anything you wear. Are you…are you actually wearing All-Stars?" The shoes were obviously new, but the fact that Kurt was wearing them made Puck look up and raise an eyebrow at him. Kurt blushed and Puck was glad he was off the hook because trying to tell Kurt how nice he looked was way too uncomfortably close to talking about his feelings and if they were going to be talking about feelings later, which he was sure they were, he wanted to get them all out at one time. He was still a teenaged boy, after all. Sharing was damn hard.

Kurt looked down at his shoes, "I thought I'd try understating today. Fashion for today's teen and all that. Especially if we're going to be on the grass. I can't ruin my Gucci shoes, after all, can I?"

"Guess not," Puck mumbled, "Hey, Kurt?"

"Yes, Noah?"

"I really want to kiss you right now." Okay, so maybe he wasn't going to be able to hold back completely, but he knew he'd said the right thing when Kurt looked back up at him.

Kurt's smile was like the sun before he schooled his features into an accepting, gracious look, "Well then, by all means, Noah, kiss me."

Gentle, a voice said in Noah's head, try being gentle. See how he reacts. He took a step forward and took Kurt's face between his hands, leaning in until his lips were just hovering over Kurt's. He paused a moment, waiting until Kurt had taken a shaky breath in, then pressed his lips tenderly, chastely to Kurt's. He didn't rush, didn't make this kiss anything more than it was, and simply allowed himself to enjoy the feeling of Kurt's lips against his for a moment before pulling back and smiling down at Kurt, whose eyes had closed.

"You got the blanket and the drinks?" He asked quietly, his voice a little rough from the emotion that had unexpectedly risen in it.

"Hmm?" Kurt's eyes opened and Puck was happy to see them clouded and a little dazed, "What?"

"Blanket and drinks? Picnic? Ringing any bells?" Puck laughed.

Kurt snapped himself out of his daze, "Oh! Of course! I'll just go get them. Be right back."

Puck stepped off the stoop and went to open his passenger side door, satisfied that he'd made the right move when Kurt turned around from locking his front door and his eyes went all soft and dewy again. He allowed Noah to help him in, looking on him with shock when he kissed his hand. Too much, Puck realized. Kurt laughed and it lightened the mood when Puck leered at him over the hand he held to his lips and waggled his eyebrows. Kurt had opened his door by the time he got over the drivers side and he said quick thanks before starting the car. They didn't speak on the way to the park. Puck had chosen one nearly out of town to give them some anonymity, but the silence wasn't uncomfortable. Kurt hummed under his breath and looked out the window while Puck concentrated on driving and not taking Kurt's hand. Maybe, just maybe, if he played all of his cards right, they'd be ready for hand holding on the way back from the park this afternoon. When they reached the park he stuck the thermos Kurt had brought in the picnic basket and threw the blanket over his arm. He knew exactly where he was headed and spread the blanket under the tree on the hill that overlooked the small pond where ducks, geese, and a single swan made their summer homes.

"I've never been to this park," Kurt said quietly as he sat on the blanket and looked down at the pond, "It's beautiful."

"Yeah. Guess so," Puck looked around before he sat down, "My mom used to bring us here a lot after my old man took off. We used to sit by the pond and feed the ducks. Miri was just a baby. I used to come here when I needed to think. Took two busses and walked half a mile to get here. Ma taught me to be still here. Guess I haven't tried to be still in a while. Maybe it would have saved me a lot of grief." He chuckled darkly under his breath. When he turned back to Kurt, he saw that the smaller boy's eyes were wet.

"Noah…" Kurt murmured.

"What? What is it? Did I say something wrong?" He reached out to Kurt, but stopped when Kurt held up a hand.

"You didn't say anything wrong," he said, after taking a moment to compose himself, "I just…I think that's the truest, most open thing you've ever said to me."

"Jeez, Hummel," Puck shrugged uncomfortably, "Don't get all girly on me or anything."

"I think we've progressed past last names, Noah," Kurt said quietly, "I would appreciate if you wouldn't call me Hummel anymore. Please."

"Sure." It was the only answer that Puck could possibly give when Kurt had requested it so sweetly, "You, um, you hungry?"

Kurt simply nodded.

"I, uh, tried to make stuff this morning, but then I realized that I only had stuff that I liked and not stuff that you liked and by that time it was too late to go to the store to get stuff to make something so I just went to that little place on Main that you're always raving about."

"Was that all seriously one sentence?" Kurt smiled and Puck relaxed automatically, laughing a little, "It's okay, Noah. I'm a little nervous, too. It's our first date, after all. You're doing fine. What did you choose?"

"The lady looked at me like I was insane when I ordered for carry out, but…like what she thinks matters. I got the spinach and artichoke salad and Sindhi Chicken. I have no idea what either of them taste like, but they looked good."

"They are good. They're two of my favorites."

"If we eat now the chicken will probably still be hot."

"Then, we'll eat now."

They were quiet as they ate the little take away plates that were prepared beautifully and presented just as beautifully. Noah didn't think he had to mention that when the hostess had looked at him like he was insane he had lost it a little bit and kind of pleaded with her, spilling that he was going on a his first date with a guy he really liked and he really needed to impress him. Luckily, she had found it all terribly romantic and had made sure that their meals were prepared quickly and looked picture perfect. Then, she had wished him luck. Puck had nearly slammed his head into the steering wheel when he got back in his car. He might as well just give it up now. He'd become a complete flamer. Or a chick. He couldn't decided which or which was worse. But, then he looked at Kurt, thoroughly enjoying his meal, a small smile on his face, and decided that he would remain a flaming chick if that smile stayed on Kurt's face. Kurt had made iced tea, his mother's recipe, and they laughed as they shared it out of the thermos because neither of them had thought to bring cups. When they were done completely, they took the rolls neither of them had bothered to eat and went down the hill to feed the ducks. Puck couldn't help but smile at the joy that spread across Kurt's face with the simple act.

"What is being still?" Kurt asked, as they sat by the pond side, "Obviously it's more than just sitting."

"My mom explained it to me this way…She said, when you can sit in silence and hear everything, when you can forget everything on your mind and know anything, and when you can look at yourself and see only possibilities you know you're still. I was a hyper kid. I think she just made it up for me, but it helped me work through a lot of anger after my old man left us. I never quite got there, but…"

"When did you stop trying?" Kurt asked, reaching out to brush his fingers along Puck's wrist.

"I was thirteen. Couldn't see the point anymore."

"It has a point, Noah," Kurt whispered.

"Yeah, I know," Noah rolled his shoulder uncomfortably. He jumped up, "You ready for desert?"

"Desert?" Kurt allowed Puck to help him up and neither of them thought about it as they held hands while they walked up the hill to their blanket again.

"Yeah. I figured a little bit of chocolate would be okay." He pulled out the half dozen chocolate covered strawberries he'd bought out of the basket and laughed when Kurt groaned.

"I can't turn down a chocolate covered strawberry. I'm going to have to add an hour onto my workout tomorrow just to work off everything I've eaten today."

"Naw," Puck laughed and pushed one of the strawberries into Kurt's mouth. The smaller boy looked at him indignantly, but Puck just laughed harder when he began to chew, "You look great and you know it. If anything, you could stand to put on a little weight."

"Just because I'm not some over-muscled, empty-headed jock does not mean that I need to put on weight." Kurt glowered.

"You know what, Hum…Kurt?"

"What?" Kurt had crossed his arms, pouting. He turned his nose up at Puck.

"You talk too much."

"I…" Puck cut him off with a firm kiss pressed to his mouth.

"You can't just kiss me every time you want me to stop talking, Noah," Kurt pouted, but his eyes were laughing when Puck pulled away.

"Sure I can," Puck shrugged, "It's my right as your…" He stopped.

"As what, Noah? As my…boyfriend? You want to be my boyfriend? We've only gone on one date." Kurt tucked his legs up to his chest and wrapped his arms around them. He was shutting down. Noah felt the panic rise in his chest.

"We've been fucking for months, Kurt!" He tried.

"Exactly, Noah. Fucking. Sex is nothing like affection. Sex is nothing to base a relationship on. You didn't even really look at me until three days ago. How am I supposed to trust that you're not going to turn around and change your mind again when it stops being convenient for you to show me a little bit of affection? And, you could never come out of the closet! They expect me to be gay. They pick on me, but it's nothing that I can't handle. You…They'd tear you apart for destroying all of their well loved illusions, and then kill me for turning you. I'm fine with where we were, Noah. I can go back to sex twice a week and nothing else for as long as you want it. I don't need fancy words and I don't need you to be my boyfriend. So…don't feel obligated to give me anything of the kind. I'm not a girl, Noah. I never will be."

"Fuck, Kurt," Noah knelt in front of the Kurt, "I know you're not a girl. I wouldn't want you to be. I just want…I want you."

"Why do you want me, Noah?" Kurt didn't look at him, but back down at the pond.

"I want you because you're sarcastic, and a much better person than me, and you never let anyone give you any shit because you know that you're so much better than the rest of us and you're getting out of here. I want you because you make me…Fuck, I can't believe I'm actually going to say this…You make me want to be better than I am, okay?"

"How?" Kurt scoffed, and Noah could hear the tears in his voice, "You couldn't even look at me three days ago."

"Then, I'll apologize for everything but the last three days, Kurt! It was my shit! Not yours! I want it to be different. I want us to be different."

"You aren't even really gay, Noah," Kurt buried his face in his knees. Puck worked his hand under Kurt's chin and lifted his face so that their eyes were on level again.

"Kurt, I've hand my dick up your ass more times than I can count. And when I…touched you on Friday…I liked it, okay? It was hot. I'm pretty sure I am gay. If not it's something pretty damn close."

For the first time, Puck saw hope in Kurt's eyes and he dared a gentle, chaste kiss. Kurt accepted it.

"You're right about one thing, though," Puck said thoughtfully when he pulled away.

"What's that?"

"We can't come out. Not here. Not now. There's too much working against us here. We could go on like we have been, Kurt. Us when we're together. No one else ever has to find out. There's only a year and a half until we both graduate. We could hold out that long. Maybe go to the same school, or at least schools in the same state. We could be us there. Not so long from now when the rest of this shit doesn't matter. I don't think I want anything else to change, Kurt, just what's between us. There are too many homophobes and bigots in this town."

"Yes, there are," Kurt agreed, "So, let me get this straight…you want to be my boyfriend when we're alone and be the same asshole you've always been to me when there are people around?"

"When you put it that way…" Puck groaned.

"Noah!" Kurt cut him off sharply, "I can accept that."

"What?" Puck's mouth fell open in shock.

"As long as it only lasts for the next year and a half, like you say, and when we go to college we can be us all the time, I can accept that. I…I've wanted it. I'll take what I can get if it means I get you. I just have one condition."

"What's that?" Puck lifted an eyebrow in suspicion.

"I want to tell my father about us. I'll explain the situation before hand, but I want him to know. I can't explain why, because I don't even know why. I just need him to know."

"S'fine with me," Puck smirked, "I already told my mom about us."

It was Kurt's turn to have his jaw drop, "You came out of the closet to your mother?"

"Yep. Thursday night."

"You really do want to be my boyfriend!" Kurt laughed joyfully.

"Fuck, Kurt! What have I been trying to say for the past twenty minutes?" He threw up his arms in exasperation, and let out an undignified yelp when Kurt threw himself at him, laughing the entire time. His joy was contagious and Puck laughed with him as the smaller boy kissed lightly all over his face. He allowed himself to fall back and cradled Kurt in his arms, breathing in his scent and smiling up at the clouds. It had been close and now it perfect. It was all perfect. He pressed a kiss to Kurt's hair. He'd be able to Keep Kurt away from the school on Friday, no problem. Kurt was going to live and in a year and a half they would never have to hide anything ever again. And he hadn't even had to say the words he wasn't ready to say yet. He could work up to them.

They laid together for a long time, just soaking each other in. They held hands when they walked back to the car and held hands on the ride home. When they reached Kurt's house, they parted reluctantly, sharing sweet, slow kisses in the truck before whispering promises to see each other in the morning. Puck drove home on cloud nine and practically floated up to his apartment. He froze when he opened the door and there were three women lounging around his living room.

They looked completely different from each other. One had dark, dark skin and black hair braided close to her scalp, one had pretty almond eyes and tan skin, and the third was pale as milk with hair so blonde it was almost white. They were all stunningly beautiful and they only other trait they shared was the fact that all of their ears came to points. None of them looked happy with him.

"Well, come in!" The rough voice came from the blonde.

"Sit down," Pretty eyes, laughing voice, said.

"We need to talk," Braids, low, sweet voice, agreed.

"Now you show yourselves," Puck muttered, locking the door behind him.

"You didn't need to see us before," Rough voice shrugged, "Call me Crystal."

"I'm Sakura!" Laughing voice said.

"And I'm Aziza," the third said, "And before you can ask, no, these are not the names and forms we came into existence with. We change form and name as often as it amuses us. We immortal. You have to change it up or you get very, very bored."

"Which is why, incidentally, we gave you this week with Kurt. We've watched him since Artie. We like him. We like you, too. We were distressed that you were both so stubborn and Kurt had to die like that." Crystal said. All three of them looked sad for a moment.

"But, you don't have to worry now!" Puck said happily, "It's done! Kurt trusts me. We're dating! He's not going to die! We're gonna have a great life together! And I didn't even need the whole week! I only took four days because I'm just a badass that way, but…"

"Oh, Noah, we should have told you sooner," Sakura sighed softly. Suddenly all three of them stood and surrounded him, but it didn't feel threatening. It felt…comforting.

"You've made him happy and for that we are grateful and we know that you will have no regrets," Aziza smiled at him, but there were tears in her eyes.

"But, there are some forces even greater than us," Crystal said, "There are some things we cannot control. Like death."

"No matter what you do now, Noah," Sakura set a hand to his shoulder and a tear fell from her eye, "On Friday…Kurt will die."

Puck felt the blood drain from his face and then everything went dark.


	7. Chapter 7

**All previous disclaimers apply.**

**Author's Note: Thank you so much to everyone still reading and reviewing! I love you all. Please drop a review if you have time. They encourage me so! Happy Reading! T.H.**

Artie was not prepared for the force of nature that was a determined Puck when he was dragged by the chair into the chemistry lab before he'd even had a chance to stop at his locker Monday morning. It was more disorienting than he would have thought to be suddenly headed one place and in the next moment have no control what-so-ever over where he was going. He turned his upper body to protest, but decided against it when he saw the grim set of Puck's mouth and the distress in his eyes. He felt unexplained nerves rise in his chest and kept his mouth shut. Puck pushed Artie into the room and closed the door behind them. Artie watched his warily, waiting for the explosion that he knew was imminent from the tense set of Puck's shoulders and the way his hands were curled into fists so tight his knuckles were white.

"Set back over the weekend?" Artie ventured, quietly, hoping beyond all hope that the explosion wouldn't be directed at him when it came.

"No…" Puck's voice was soft and controlled, "No. Everything's fucking perfect."

"So, what's wrong, Puck?" Artie tried to gauge his tone so that it was a proper mix of comfort and confused, but almost before the question was completely out Puck had whirled around, anger blazing in his eyes.

"What the fuck's the point!" He shouted, "What the fuck's the point of changing everything, turning back time, making us so happy if there's nothing I can do to save Kurt's life? And why the fuck didn't you tell me? Why the fuck didn't anyone tell me?"

It was an eerie replay of Puck's anger when he had found out that Kurt had been murdered. Artie watched as the big, strong young man punched the brick wall repeatedly, not really aware of the tears that were pouring down his cheeks. But, this time it was more than anger, Artie realized as Puck began to grunt with exertion and the little grunts gave way to gasping sobs. It was despair. Artie took a deep breath and willed the tears in his own eyes not to fall. He rolled as close to Puck as he felt comfortable with, then rolled close enough to set his hand on Puck's shoulder when the other boy finally fell to his knees, his shoulders shaking with the effort he was expending to get his emotions under control again. He moved his hand to Puck's neck and rubbed it, and the base of his skull, gently. His mother always did it for him when he was upset and it always made him feel a little better. He personally thought that it spoke to just how much Puck had changed, or how much he was now allowing who he really was to come out as Artie tended to think, that he even allowed Artie to comfort him.

"What do you mean you can't save Kurt's life?" He asked finally when Puck had calmed enough to hear him, "I thought that was why They turned time back for you. They said you could change things, didn't They?"

"Apparently I can change everything but death," Puck's voice was unsteady around hitching breath. He turned his gaze so that their eyes met and suddenly Artie had to fight not to look away. Puck looked impossibly young and vulnerable with the tears in his eyes and his face stripped bare of everything but his despair, "Abrams, why would They do this? How could anyone, anything, be so cruel? Why would They give me the chance to change everything, to make us both so happy, only to tell me that he's going to be taken away again? It just…It doesn't make any sense."

"Puck…" Artie could only get his name out around the emotion that had risen in his own throat.

"I can't…" Puck looked away, down at his bloody hands, "I can't watch him die again, Artie. Not now. I'm not…" His voice got very quiet, "I'm not strong enough. But, They said that I won't be able to do anything to prevent it. They said that…not even They can stop death, that it'll still come for Kurt on Friday."

"What about keeping him away from the school? Keeping him at home? Locking him in a closet?" Artie asked desperately.

Puck laughed humorlessly. He had asked the same question the night before when he had finally come around again. He refused to say that he had fainted, because men didn't faint. But, he figured that anyone would have passed out after learning that the love of their fucking life was going to die no matter what they did. When he had asked if there was anything at all he could do to keep Kurt safe on Friday They had simply shaken Their heads.

"Even if you take him away from the school Death will still find him," Aziza had said sadly, taking his hand, "If you take him away…"

He'd gasped when the image of a car wreck was suddenly in his mind. He and Kurt had been in the car. He'd been trapped under his seat, unable to move, only able to comfort Kurt with words as his lover died quickly from blood loss. Kurt had severed the major artery in his leg in the accident. He'd bled out in less than four minutes.

"If you keep him at home…"

Crystal had taken his hand and he'd watched Kurt step wrong on the way to his basement. Kurt had fallen down the stairs and by the time he'd come to a stop at the bottom it was already too late. His neck had snapped.

"Even if you were to simply keep him inside until the car was gone…"

Sakura had taken his hand and Puck had cried out in pain to see Kurt slip in a small puddle by the water fountains, Puck by his side the entire time. He'd struck his head hard against the ceramic and had seemed fine, but three hours later he had gone to sleep in Puck's arms and had simply never woken up again, his injury much worse than anyone had thought.

"Death is not evil, Noah," Sakura had whispered after the three of them had enveloped him in their arms, "Death itself really has no personality at all. But, it is very organized. It has to be. It will know that Kurt is meant to die. And no matter where he is, Death will take him."

"Even if we keep him away from that fucking car he'd just die some other way," Puck told Artie, hanging his head.

"Puck…" Artie set a hand to his shoulder again, "I…don't know what to say…"

"What is there to say?" Puck asked bitterly, "I thought maybe you might know something I don't?" He looked up at Artie and back down when Artie held up his empty palms in defeat. Puck nodded, "I didn't really think so."

"Puck…" Artie looked down on him, hoping that this wasn't too soon, "I…It kills me to say it…But, if…If these are really Kurt's last days…Don't you think…Shouldn't we be concentrating on making sure they're as happy as they can be?"

"We?" Puck scoffed, still looking at his own hands.

"Puck, you didn't really think that you were going to have to go through this alone, did you?"

"Yeah," Puck answered, the honesty in his voice making Artie wince, "Yeah, I kind of did."

"Puck, come on. I'm the only other person in the world that knows what's going on. You're going to need some back-up to get through this…no matter how badass you think you are."

Puck looked up to see Artie looking back down at him, that look, that indescribable look on his face. That look that said Artie knew what you were thinking and even you tried to bullshit your way out of it he would know it and call you on it. Puck looked down and chuckled lightly, relief that he wouldn't have to go through this alone and grief that he was going to have to go through it at all warring for dominance. The chuckles became soundless sobs and he curled in on himself, pressing his forehead to his knees. He couldn't believe how much it hurt. His chest was physically aching. He wanted to cry all the time and he was going to have to hide all of it from everyone. Except Artie. The next time he saw the three women who had turned his life into a huge mess he was going to have to ask them what he had done to make them hate him so much. Here he was in –there was no way he was able to deny it anymore- love. He was in love with a boy he had picked on (Some would have called it torture.) for years. And no matter what he did, no matter how strong he was, he was going to have to watch him die a second time. And the only one who knew anything about it, the only one he could talk to about it was yet another boy he had picked on for years. He knew in the next few days he was going to depend on Artie to be there when he needed to break down. It was going to happen more times than he was comfortable admitting. Because these next few days were going to be, simultaneously, the best and worst of his life. He was going to make Kurt happier than he had ever been in his life and he was going to have to do it knowing that Kurt would die on Friday. Puck wondered if there was a physical manifestation of Karma. If there was, he wanted to kick his or her ass.

"You're a good guy, Abrams," He finally forced out.

"Yeah," Artie shrugged, "So are you, Puckerman. Go figure." He punched Puck's shoulder softly and they both smiled, putting themselves back together mentally, silently agreeing that Puck's emotional breakdown hadn't really happened.

"I'm going to need your help, Abrams. To make Kurt as happy as I can there's going to be a lot about this week that's ugly. I want you to distract him. I don't want him to see the ugly."

"I can do that," Artie agreed, "I can try, anyway."

"Thanks."

Puck took a deep breath and stood up, wiping away the last of the tears still on his cheeks. He straightened his jacket and brushed the dust off of the backside of his jeans.

"You look fine," Artie said quietly, answering the unasked question, "But, you might want to splash some water on your face." Puck nodded and moved toward the door. He opened it and looked back at Artie, "Go ahead. I need a minute."

He nodded and Artie waited until the door was closed again to begin speaking quietly again, "Why would you do this to Puck? To Kurt? I thought you liked them."

"We do like them."

Artie turned around to see Crystal, Aziza, and Sakura seated on the counter, all of them looking at him sadly.

"That's why we wanted them to have a chance to be happy. But, we just can't control Death. It's the most powerful force on this planet."

"You let me stop my death!" Artie shouted. The three women looked taken aback. In all the years they had known him, and it had been a few, Artie had never yelled at them. He was one of their favorite mortals and he was one of their biggest fans. He had never questioned them. He had always helped them when they needed him to explain what was happening to those they decided to interfere with.

"Artie, sweetheart," Aziza knelt in front of him, "Your soul hadn't left your body at any point when we interfered. You never actually died." He knew that. They had explained it before.

"But now…" Artie felt the tears in his eyes again and closed them to keep the tears at bay, "I've never questioned you, ladies, but you messed up this time. If you had just let it be we would have only lost Kurt. Puck would have healed. Now we're going to lose them both. Puck loves him and he knows it now. He's not going to be able to move on."

"There is a hope," Crystal said, coming to his side, her rough voice uncharacteristically caring. "It's a small one, but it's there. Not even we can see it clearly at this point."

"You need to tell Puck." He already knew that they couldn't.

"We can't," Sakura wrapped her arms around him from behind, "We want to, Artie. So much. But, we can't. There is only so much interference we're allowed. We've already pressed our luck by turning back time after Kurt had already died."

"But, we have confidence in Noah," Aziza laid her head in his lap, "He's strong and he's smart. He won't let us down."

"Can I tell him?"

"Ah, Little One," Crystal pressed herself to his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist, "You know better than that."

"You're right. I do. Wish I didn't."

"Are you going to share your story with Noah? We wish you would. You've kept it inside for so long."

"Maybe," He said quietly. They all glared at him. He laughed quietly, "Probably." They smiled at him and wrapped him in their arms again. He sighed and let himself feel comforted.

"We do love you very much, Artie Abrams."

"Yeah, yeah." He rolled his eyes and smiled, despite himself, "I love you, too, ladies."

"Are you alright?" Kurt's soft voice startled Puck out of his observation of himself in the mirror. He hadn't expected anyone to come looking for him as first period had already started. He hadn't intended to stay in the bathroom so long, just long enough to splash some water on his face like Artie had suggested, but had decided, upon seeing how red his eyes were, that it wouldn't hurt anything to take a little more time. It wasn't like he actually went to all of his classes all of the time anyway. He turned to look at Kurt and fought the emotion rising in his throat. Kurt looked so happy, even in his concern.

"Shouldn't you be in class?" He teased gently, sending up a silent prayer of thanks that his voice didn't break around the emotion in his throat.

Kurt smiled, "Shouldn't you?" He quipped, "I saw you tearing through the halls. You terrorized a couple of freshmen, you know. I just wanted to make sure that you're alright."

"I'm fine," Puck smiled back, "Had a rough night. Didn't sleep well. Missed you." Puck opened his arms to Kurt, inviting him in.

"I missed you, too," Kurt looked around suspiciously for a moment, then threw himself into the offered embrace. Puck lifted Kurt's chin to fit their mouths together in a deep, long kiss he tried not to make about his desperation to keep Kurt by his side for longer than the next five days.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Kurt asked again as he laid his head against Puck's chest.

Do a better job, Puckerman! Puck scolded himself internally and tightened his hold on Kurt. That was it. He was just going to have to pretend that he didn't know about Friday. As hard as it was going to be, the only way he was going to get through this week without wanting to cry every time he saw Kurt's face was to pretend that nothing was going to happen. He had a good mind for fooling himself. After all, he'd had himself convinced that he was straight for most of his life. So, this should be nothing.

"I'm good. Promise." He pressed a kiss to Kurt's hair. He seriously didn't want to do the school thing today. He just wanted another day to have Kurt completely to himself, "Do you want to get out of here?"

"What?"

"Let's get out of here.," Puck said again We don't have Glee, we don't have football. Do you have any tests today?"

"I…no," Kurt said slowly, trying to remind himself why skipping school to spend the day with his (Dare he even think it?) boyfriend was a bad idea.

"Let's just go. We'll catch a movie, go get frozen yogurt…"

"Go back to my place and make out?" Kurt suggested.

"Or more," Puck smirked and lowered his arms from Kurt's back to his waist to pull their lower halves closer, "If you're so inclined, babe."

Kurt giggled and pressed a kiss to Puck's jaw, just where he knew would make Puck weak in the knees. "I am still a teenaged boy after all," He whispered, then liked a quick line along the shell of Puck's ear.

"So, that's a yes?" Puck finally asked when he found his voice again.

"Let's see," Kurt took a step back and pretended to consider, setting a finger to his lips, "Spend all day in a place I hate having to pretend that I don't want to kiss you every time I see you or spend the day with you doing all of the things that I want to do? Hmm…Decisions, decisions."

"What about that perfect attendance that you're so proud of?" Puck asked, crossing his arms and nearly laughing at the look on Kurt's face.

"Fuck my perfect attendance," Kurt shrugged simply.

"Fuck, Hummel," Puck crossed the room and pressed Kurt to the wall.

"The mouth on me," Kurt finished, laughing, and curled his hands into Puck's shirt. He turned his head when Puck tried to kiss him and laughed out loud when Puck groaned and pushed their hips together.

"Tease," He moaned.

"You love it. Meet me at my place in an hour. Bring frozen yogurt."

"Any particular flavor?" Puck asked, his voice strained.

"Hmm…Surprise me." Kurt kissed the tip of Puck's nose, "I'll see you there."

"I hate you," Puck muttered as Kurt ducked under his arm.

"Hate you, too," Kurt smiled softly and was out the door. Puck waited a couple of minutes until he was sure he could walk right and followed him.

"Want to make out now or later?" Puck asked as Kurt opened the door and pulled him inside by the collar of his jacket.

"Depends on what you brought me," Kurt said. He pressed a quick kiss to Puck's mouth and reached for the paper bag in Puck's arms. Puck wondered what had Kurt so hyper as he followed him into the kitchen and leaned against the doorframe, simply watching as whirlwind Kurt cooed over the frozen yogurt from his favorite shop, –Puck had managed to get them to let him in even though they weren't open yet. The new boyfriend story really worked well on girls.- grabbed two spoons and a couple of water bottles, and disappeared down the stairs, calling for Noah to follow him. Puck shook his head and followed Kurt down. He smiled when Kurt tapped his foot impatiently and waited for Puck to settle onto the bed before he settled against him and turned on the movie he had already put in the player. Puck was glad to see that it was not a musical, not a chick flick, and not a Disney princess movie, but something they could both ignore and not have it drive them insane.

"Bananas Foster," Kurt moaned, and it sounded almost sinful, as he licked the first spoonful, "You know me much better than you should, considering."

"I always paid attention, Kurt," Puck whispered, "I…"

"Noah," Kurt reached up and behind to cup the back of Puck's head in his gentle hand, "There's no need. Promise." He angled his head against Puck's shoulder and gently pushed Puck's head, encouraging the bigger boy to angle his head down and kiss him. Puck smiled as he allowed Kurt to take control of their kiss for the first time. Kurt surprised him and took his lips with no hesitation, licking his lower lip to get him to open up. It was shock that had Puck doing so, but pure desire that had him moaning when Kurt coaxed his tongue into his mouth sweet with frozen yogurt. He wrapped his arms around Kurt's waist, hugging him close as the kiss carried on. Kurt made a small noise from the back of his throat that went straight to Puck's groin. He didn't even try to stop his hips from thrusting gently into Kurt's backside.

"Mmm…wait…" Kurt murmured. Puck smiled and peeled off his jacket and his shirt as Kurt set aside his frozen yogurt and threw his own shirt across the room. Puck got comfortable on his back as Kurt shimmied out of his pants and then crawled back across the large bed. Puck took his hand and pulled him on top of his body when Kurt hesitated a moment. Kurt giggled, delighted, when he realized that he didn't have to support his weight because Noah was strong and built. The thought brought a blush to his face as heavy, large hands landed on his ass and pressed their hips together. He moaned and leaned in for another kiss as he felt the evidence of Noah's arousal hard in his jeans against his hip.

"I feel like a twelve year old virgin," Puck moaned, when Kurt began to kiss his neck, "Humping like I've never…God, that feels good." Kurt had moved down from his neck and was currently licking his nipple, playing with the ring in it with his considerably talented tongue. He put a hand in Kurt's hair when he began to kiss lower, down Puck's abs. to just above the rise of his jeans. He stopped and looked up, his big eyes swimming with desire and a little apprehension.

"Do you want me to?" He asked quietly.

"Only if you want to," Puck answered quietly, stroking Kurt's cheek gently.

"I've never done it before," Kurt whispered, apprehensively.

"Take it at whatever speed you want, babe. And stop if anything makes you uncomfortable, okay?"

"Okay."

"Kurt, seriously," Puck cupped his chin in his hand, "I don't want you to do it if you don't want to."

"I want to," Kurt said quietly, smiling a little, secret smile, "Just…try not to move?"

"Okay."

Puck closed his eyes and concentrated on keeping his breathing steady and simply feeling as Kurt pulled the zipper of his jeans down slowly. He lifted his ass when Kurt pulled his jeans down and concentrated on trying to hear what Kurt was up to as the boy pulled his pants off completely. Whacko was probably folding them. He smiled at the thought, then pulled in his breath sharply when he was grasped in a steady, sure hand. There was a hot breath against his hip and he reached down carefully until he felt the soft strands of Kurt's hair. He buried his fingers in it and lifted his hips once, slightly, to encourage Kurt to continue. He was already hard, just thinking of Kurt's mouth on him and forced himself not to fist his hand in Kurt's hair when a long, wet stripe was licked from his base to his tip, then gentle, teasing tongue lapped like a kitten at the tip. He moaned from the back of his throat when a gentle hand cupped and rubbed and he was enveloped in an impossibly hot, wet mouth. It was hard to resist the urge to thrust up into the heat, but he did it, knowing it was Kurt's first time and would probably scare him. As far as blowjobs went, it was sloppy and more than a little amateur, but Kurt made up for it with his enthusiasm. And, Puck thought, he'd never been given a blowjob by someone he loved before. Knowing that it was Kurt, who loved him and wanted him in return, doing this to him, for him, made it ten times better than a blowjob from any teenaged girl or housewife. He was ashamed of how quickly Kurt had brought him to the edge when he felt his orgasm building deep in his belly.

"Kurt, I…" He broke off on a moan, then forced himself to concentrate. He finally opened his eyes and looked down. He resisted the urge to thrust up again when his eyes met Kurt's. The fact that Kurt was watching everything, watching him fall apart, made the whole thing impossibly hot, "Kurt, I'm going to…Pull off, babe."

"Not a chance," Kurt pulled up and panted, stroking him with fervor, "I want to taste you." Their eyes remained locked as Kurt went back down on him.

"God damn…" Puck muttered, "So hot, babe. When you say things like that…"

Kurt hummed contentedly from the back of his throat and it proved to be Puck's undoing. He felt the fire rush through his veins and spilled himself into Kurt's mouth with a strangled cry, throwing his head back and clenching his eyes shut. He loosened the fist he had made in Kurt's hair and panted, coming down from his high slowly. When his breathing had finally regulated he opened his eyes to see Kurt propped up on an elbow by his side, looking down at him with uncertain eyes. He tried to tell Kurt how good it was, but his voice wasn't working yet. Instead, he set a hand to Kurt's waist and smiled.

"It was okay?" Kurt asked quietly.

"You swallowed?" Puck asked. He wanted to smack a hand to his forehead at his callousness, but it was the first thing that had come into his head.

Kurt nodded, "I was prepared for it to taste a lot worse. It's no ambrosia, but it's nothing to make me gag, either. But, Noah…was it…was I…"

"Babe," Puck pulled Kurt into his arms, settling him at his side before tilting his chin up and kissing him gently, dipping his tongue into Kurt's mouth tenderly. He could taste himself in Kurt's mouth. Kurt tasted better, he thought, "It was great. You were great."

"I'm glad," Kurt smiled. Puck closed his eyes and pulled Kurt closer to his side. His eyes snapped open again when he heard Kurt whimper and felt him thrust his hips minutely against his thigh.

"That really turned you on, didn't it?" Puck asked quietly. Kurt whimpered again and buried his face in the juncture between Puck's neck and shoulder, "Tell me, Kurt."

"It turns me on to know I can do things like that to you." Kurt admitted quietly.

"Hmm," Puck moaned from the back of his throat and reached down. His hand slipped into Kurt's underwear and he circled Kurt in a firm grip, "Whenever you want to, babe."

Kurt let out a breathless, high pitched cry as Puck stroked him mercilessly, muttering dirty words in his ear. How beautiful he had looked sucking his cock, how beautiful he was now as he was falling apart in Puck's arms, how much Puck could tell he wanted to come, how much Puck wanted to see him come. He encouraged Kurt not to hold back his noises and told him that he thought they were hot. Kurt arched against his hand again and again and allowed himself to be as noisy as he had always wanted to be and had never dared.

"Come for me, baby," Puck whispered, his voice rough, and nipped Kurt's earlobe. Kurt let out one last cry, arched, and came. Puck stroked him a couple times more, milking his small lover's intense orgasm for all it was worth. Kurt panted against his neck and giggled when Puck sat up to pull Kurt's underwear off. He watched through sleepy eyes as Puck cleaned them both up with the already smeared fabric, then tossed it on the floor.

"Hmm," Kurt snuggled when Puck laid down and took him in his arms again, "This is nice."

"Yeah," Puck agreed, "It is. What do you say? Nap a little, eat some more frozen yogurt, watch a movie, have some more sex?"

Kurt murmured against his neck and Puck looked down to see that Kurt had already fallen asleep. He laughed softly and pulled the edges of the blanket around them so that they were covered before he snuggled closer to Kurt and allowed himself to fall asleep.

He was jerked awake he didn't know how much later by Kurt pushing him off the bed and hissing, "Put on your pants! Now!"

"Kurt…what?" Puck asked, rubbing his sore ass. He froze when he heard the other voice up the stairs.

"Kurt? You home? Saw your car. Are you sick or something?"

"Shit!" Puck grabbed his discarded jeans and struggled into them.

Kurt was just reaching for his own pants when his father appeared at the bottom of the stairs. Puck froze at the side of the bed, reaching down for his shirt. Kurt covered himself with his blanket.

"Dad!" His voice was too bright, "It's not what it…it looks like?" Even he didn't sound like he believed himself. Puck said a quick prayer, then stood up to his full height.

"Mr. Hummel…I…It's nice to meet you…sir."

Burt Hummel's eyes narrowed, "Mohawk, you have ten seconds to back away from my boy's bed and another thirty to think of a reason I shouldn't get my go get my gun."

Puck swallowed hard.

And began to pray again.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: Kind of short. Not sure I've quite got Burt down. Please forgive this fact! Thank you for reading!**

"Mr. Hummel…sir…" Puck tried not to flinch when Burt took another step toward him. He shot a pleading look at Kurt and backed away from his bed as fast as he could, pulling his shirt over his head so that maybe by seeing less skin his lover's father would be placated in some way. He swallowed hard when Burt growled from the back of his throat.

"Oh, please, Dad!"

Puck wanted to kiss Kurt when he heard the tone of Kurt's voice. It was his superior, arrogant voice. Puck had been hearing less and less of it lately, but it made him go weak with relief to hear it now. Because even Burt Hummel hesitated a moment when his precious baby boy used that tone. Puck didn't know it, but Kurt's mother had perfected that tone in her first year of marriage with Burt. When it had come out of Kurt's mouth the first time (It had been just three months after his mother had died and her parents had suggested that Burt wasn't up to the task of raising Kurt himself. Kurt hadn't taken kindly to it.) Burt had smiled down on his son with pride, then locked himself in the bathroom when they got home and muffled his sobs with a bath towel. It was amazing the way Burt's feelings were all written on his face, Puck thought. When he turned to look at Kurt, still under his blanket on the bed, he face showed worry, hurt, and love. He turned back to look at Puck and the expression changed to one of anger bordering on rage and…Puck wasn't sure that murder could be called an expression, but if it could it was on Burt Hummel's face.

"Dad, if there's going to be a drama queen in this family it's going to be me. Now, please, just go upstairs. Noah and I will be up in a moment and we'll all discuss this like normal, rational people."

"There is no way in hell that I'm leaving you down here naked with the Mohawk." Burt ground out.

"And there's no way I'm letting Noah go upstairs with you alone in your current state of mind," Kurt countered.

"Kurt…" Burt growled and turned fully to his son.

"Dad, don't fight me on this," Kurt growled himself. Puck stared at him in surprise. He'd never heard Kurt do that before. But, apparently Burt had. And apparently it put an end to some of their arguments in the past because Burt stared at Kurt and Kurt looked back with steel in his eyes for just a moment before Burt huffed and turned back to Puck.

"You have two minutes." He turned his back and stomped up the stairs.

Puck moved and fell into the side of the bed, "Fuck, Kurt…Your dad is going to kill me."

"Noah…" Kurt began, but Puck interrupted him.

"He said he was going to go get his gun, Kurt!"

"Noah, he's not going to get his gun. Two minutes will be enough time for him to calm down a little. Try to see it from his point of view. He walked in on us. It's disrespectful and he has every right to be angry with us. But, he'll understand. He just needs to cool down."

"You sound really sure of that." Puck sighed when Kurt wrapped his arms around him.

"I am really sure of it," Kurt nuzzled a little and laid his head against Puck's chest, "It's going to be okay, Noah."

Puck felt the least like a badass he had ever felt as he watched Kurt redress himself. He was nervous as hell. His palms were sweaty. He felt like he was going to be sick. And Kurt was there, just as cool as you please, trying to decide if his scarf from earlier in the day matched the new outfit he had chosen. They walked up the stairs hand in hand without saying another word to each other. Burt was seated at the kitchen table, a beer opened but not yet sipped at his elbow, and his hands folded together so tightly his knuckles were white. He took one look at their joined hands and winced. Puck tried to drop Kurt's hand, but Kurt wouldn't let him. He kept a vice-like grip on Puck's hand and looked at his father coolly. He was scared, Puck realized. As scared as Puck was. He was just trying not to show it. He kept Puck's hand in his because he didn't want the trembling in his hands to show.

"Mohawk, want to take your hands off my kid?" Burt growled.

"Dad!" Kurt's voice was sharp, "His name is Noah. And I'm sorry you had to find out about us like that. It was disrespectful of us to do that in your house without you even knowing there was an us. But, Noah is important to me. I would appreciate if you could at least call him by his name."

"You're damn right it was disrespectful!" Burt roared, rising from his chair, "Having to walk in on you like that! You were…"

"We were sleeping, Dad," Kurt said quietly. He finally relaxed his grip on Puck's hand and held up both of his own to his father in an open gesture of hope and resignation, "I'm sorry! There are only so many ways I can say it. Please, calm down so we can talk about this. Please."

Puck had never heard Kurt so upset. He turned to look at him and saw the tears in his eyes. Kurt was so scared. His father had accepted him without a harsh word against him. But, now he was afraid that, faced with the reality of what it meant to have a gay son, his father would reject him as he had always feared. To see that pain and fear on Kurt's face when he had told himself that Kurt would only feel happiness this week made Puck's chest tighten uncomfortably. He couldn't see Kurt in pain and not try to do something about it, despite what his father might do. He turned his body so that he was angled to Kurt and set his hand to Kurt's cheek, turning Kurt's face to him. He wiped away the single tear that had fallen from Kurt's eyes with his thumb.

"It's okay," He whispered, then turned back to Burt. Kurt's father was still standing as if he was angry, but his eyes spoke a different story. He loved Kurt. He was sorry he had hurt him, but he was going to be too proud to say so. Kurt had gotten that from him. Father and son were much more alike than either of them thought.

"Mr. Hummel," Puck began. He'd never tried to show how much he respected someone with just his voice before. He hoped it worked, "I'm sorry, too, sir. We didn't mean any disrespect. We shouldn't have done what we did, but we can't take it back now. But, you need to know that what we do…Mr. Hummel, sir…I'm kind of crazy about your kid."

Kurt squeezed his hand and Puck knew he'd said the right things. It had given Kurt the confidence he needed to say what he was feeling.

"Dad, you fell in love with Mom when you were both in high school. We're more alike then we thought, I guess. I'm in love with Noah." He turned to smile softly at Puck.

"Love?" Burt choked out. "I need a beer." He sat heavily.

"You have one on the table already," Kurt finally released his death grip on Puck's hand and moved to his father's side, "Though it's a little early." He handed his father the beer and sat at the table, motioning for Puck to take the seat next to him. Puck did so.

Burt watched them as they sat. It was pretty obvious from the way they reacted to each other that what they said was true. They didn't even know it, he realized. They didn't realize that they angled their bodies toward each other no matter what they were doing or where they were sitting. When they were seated Kurt automatically reached for the Mohawk's hand and the Mohawk automatically made sure that Kurt could see the reassuring –damn it, there was no other way to describe it- smirk on his face. That damn smirk made Kurt relax in the slightest and brought a small smile to his face, despite the fear that was still in his eyes. So the Mohawk rubbed the back of his hand slightly with his thumb and Kurt relaxed further. He hated to admit it, but it reminded him of himself and Constance sitting at her parents' kitchen table when they were only eighteen. Only when they had been in Kurt and Mohawk's position they'd been two months away from graduation and terrified because Connie was pregnant.

Connie's parents, the Baldwins, had never liked him. He'd been below them in both social standing and their minds. It wasn't like Columbus had had a huge upper class, but there were still people better off than others. The only reason Connie had even been going to public school instead of a private boarding school was because she had wanted to. And her parents had put up a ridiculous fight about that, to have heard Connie tell about it. Against all of the odds, because he had not been the type to settle with a good girl, and despite her best efforts to keep him distant, because she had not been the type to sleep with a boy she wasn't in a relationship with they had fallen in love. She was the first girl he had actually dated. He was the first boy she slept with. The only boy she'd ended up ever sleeping with.

Kurt had been a surprise and at first, they thought, a mistake. Their only option –to their minds and his parents- was marriage and raising their baby. Connie had loved her baby from the moment she had found out she was pregnant. There was no way she would even consider adoption. And even though Burt hadn't yet really settled into the family man he would become he had known beyond a shadow of a doubt that he wanted Connie. She was the most beautiful, most loving, most incredible girl he had ever met. Though he'd had no love for the baby growing within her at first, it was just the excuse he had needed to keep her by his side. His parents had helped him pay for the ring when he had decided to ask her to marry him. It was not the same for her parents. The Baldwins had threatened to disinherit her if she didn't "take care of it" and never see Burt again. She'd cried as they sat at the table with her parents. She'd been gripping his hand so tight and he'd been terrified that she was going to tell him goodbye. After all, he couldn't compete with money. He'd been surprised, and had fallen in love the rest of the way with her when, holding her head up high, she hadn't let go of his hand and had instead said that she was going to marry Burt and they were going to have a baby and they would do it all on their own if they had to.

And they'd had to. At first it had been harder than anything they'd ever done. That whole first summer they'd lived with his parents, after a small, private wedding at City Hall. His parents had done everything they could to help the young couple but they hadn't had a lot of money and Burt hadn't been able to find a job. The only thing they could do was let the young couple live with them. He and Connie had tried, but the stress of having no money while she just got farther and farther along in her pregnancy had gotten to them. They'd fought like they hated each other and hadn't touched each other for months. After two months of it he'd been terrified they were falling apart. The old fear had resurfaced that she would give up their baby, forget about him completely, and go back to her parents. So in a last ditch effort he had taken the job as a mechanic in a little town a few miles out of Columbus he had been avoiding. The town had been Lima. The job had paid enough for them to rent a house that they both loved and not much more than that. So Connie had gotten a job at the local supermarket. She had always loved working with people and while he'd felt bad that she hadn't gone to school like she had dreamed she assured him again and again that she loved her job and him more than the dreams she'd once had.

Away from Burt's parents and away from the town that held so many bad memories for both of them they had begun to be them again. Burt had quickly proven himself to be capable and not a little genius when it came to cars and he'd gotten a raise. Connie had gotten bigger and bigger. Her coworkers and regular customers had thrown her a surprise baby shower. They'd come home to each other every night exhausted, held each other as they told each other about their days, and made love like they never had before. The first time the baby had been real for Burt, the moment he had fallen as in love with his baby as was with his young bride was the first time he had felt his child move within the woman he loved. They'd spent three hours on the couch simply murmuring love at her belly. Four months later Kurt had come along and they'd been even more exhausted and even more in love as they delighted in every little thing that Kurt did. Their love for him had only encouraged their love for each other. Eventually Connie's parents had given into seeing Kurt and their love for him had gotten them to accept Burt and Connie. He still didn't like them and they still didn't like him, but they all loved Kurt and they made it work because of him.

It had never been perfect. But, it had been real and it had been good. The years he'd had with Connie had been the best of his life and she had given him the best thing in his life in the form of their son. And now he was terrified once again because Kurt was sitting at the table with him looking at Mohawk the same way Connie used to look at him. And that spelled trouble. He knew because he had been Mohawk when he was in high school. Not the most popular boy is school, but close to it. Best friend of the quarterback, probably the best player on the team. Could have any girl he wanted, got all of them, only stayed with them long enough to get into their pants. That was the thing that scared Burt the worst. He didn't get the whole gay thing at all, but it just didn't seem like a kid like Mohawk would ever really go for a kid like his son. Of course Kurt was strong and confident and any boy would be lucky to have him, but the Mohawk was so very…male.

Then again…the way the Mohawk was looking at Kurt, the way he was running his thumb over Kurt's knuckles to keep him calm. The way Kurt looked at him, like he was the most amazing thing he had ever seen, and the way Kurt had sounded so sure when he said he loved…What the hell was his name? Something Jewish. If this was going to be something that was going to last (And by the way they were looking at each other it seemed the most likely scenario) he should probably learn the kid's name. He had to respect that both Kurt and…Noah…had apologized for…whatever it was they had done. Hell, he accepted his son, but that didn't mean he had to even try to think about the mechanics of sex between two boys. To be honest, he wasn't sure he wouldn't shudder if he tried to think about it. He just didn't get it. He probably never would. But, none of that mattered. His ego, his pride, and his comfort didn't matter when it came to his boy. Because Kurt loved Noah. Noah was a typical teenaged boy and couldn't say the l word yet –Burt had caught that- but he had at least been able to admit that he was (How had he put it?) crazy about Kurt. It was probably as close as Noah would be able to get to saying he loved Kurt before high school ended. He knew Noah because he knew himself. He hadn't been able to tell Connie that he loved her until the day Kurt was born.

And Burt wasn't stupid. Noah had to be protecting Kurt. He was the type of kid who wouldn't stand for anyone touching what he cared for. Kurt's dry cleaning bill was down to next to nothing compared to what it had been. Kurt didn't come home with bruises he couldn't explain anymore, making Burt rage internally as he rubbed the stupid oil Kurt insisted helped heal bruises on his boy's shoulders. And he was happier than Burt had seen him since he started high school. He had always sung around the house but now he sang happy and upbeat songs and even danced in the kitchen as he made meals. He hardly ever laid next to Connie's dresser anymore and it had been a nearly weekly occurrence. He smiled more often now and his tongue wasn't as sharp when he got upset with Burt. In fact they hardly fought anymore.

Damn it. He was going to have to admit it. Noah was good for Kurt. And damn it, the kid played football! He was going to end up liking this kid. Especially if he got rid of the Mohawk.

Damn it! But, it didn't mean he didn't have to make the kid squirm for a few…months… before he admitted it. What kind of father would he be if he didn't? The thought comforted him a little as he reached for his beer and took a long swig. At least he didn't have to worry about Kurt and Noah getting pregnant. That was another comfort.

"Is this the kind of guy you go for, Kurt?" He asked lowly, "One with skunk hair who convinces you to cut school just so you can…"

"Please, Dad…don't even say it. And no. We don't skip school regularly. We just…we needed a day together. That's all."

"We won't do it again, Mr. Hummel."

"Damn right you won't, Mohawk."

"Dad!" Kurt rolled his eyes, "Please. His name is Noah."

"Noah…" Burt said the word as if he had to force it out. He had to respect the way the kid didn't even flinch. Kurt grinned at his "effort" and he had to resist the urge to grin back. He took another swig of his beer and stood, "I'm going back to work. You have your day. But, if I ever come home to find you two naked again…" He turned to Noah, "I do actually have a gun. I won't hesitate to use it. I'll bring home pizza for dinner. Mo…Noah, you'll be staying. You watch Deadliest Catch?"

Noah looked at Kurt whose expression clearly said that he better say yes before he turned to Burt, "Yes?"

"Good. There's a marathon starting at six. I'll be home for the first episode. You better get all of your homework done before then. Both of you. See you later."

"Dad!" Kurt called out when he stood up and started to walk toward the door. Burt turned around just in time to catch his son in his arms, "Thank you." Kurt whispered.

Burt curled his hand around Kurt's neck and squeezed gently before he pushed his son gently out of his arms and walked out to his truck. It was another ten minutes before he could steady himself enough to leave.

"Fuck," Puck said as the door swung shut behind Burt. He reached across the table and grabbed the half finished beer. Kurt looked on at him, amused, as he finished it in three gulps and pushed the empty bottle away, "What?" Kurt was simply smiling at him, "You're dad terrifies me, Kurt."

"I think that was his plan," Kurt moved toward him and sat in his lap, laying his head on Puck's shoulder, "It went well, Noah. He didn't throw you out. I was expecting that he would and I would have to throw a fit and spend the night with you. He must see something in you. I think he might just learn to like you."

"What a relief," Puck scoffed, "Was he serious about me staying for dinner?"

"He's always serious," Kurt kissed his neck gently, "And about that stupid television show. He's going to make us watch all four hours of it to punish us."

"Kurt," Puck tilted Kurt's chin up with his fingers and kissed him gently before setting his forehead to Kurt's, "I don't know how to tell you this…"

"What?" Kurt asked, a little scared.

Puck smiled reassuringly, kissed Kurt once more quickly, then whispered, "I like Deadliest Catch."


	9. Chapter 9

**All previous disclaimers apply.**

**Author's Note: Please forgive that Artie is OOC. Extremely. And WARNING: This chapter contains mentions of attempted suicide. Please don't read if it isn't your thing! Happy reading. T.H.**

"Kurt, would you be happier if we were out?"

Puck could close his eyes and see Kurt's face as they said goodnight the evening before. Kurt's eyes, hopeful and yet resigned as he answered quietly, "Of course I would be, Noah, but we don't live in a perfect world. We've already discussed this. It's too dangerous for you to come out of the closet with me right now. It's okay. Just a year and a half more and we'll be able to be whatever we want to be."

"But, what if I decided that I want to take the chance, Kurt? What if I don't want to fucking hide anymore? What if I don't care what other people say or do? What if the only thing I want is to be able to hold your hand whenever the hell I want to?"

Kurt had smiled at him happily before wrapping his arms around Noah's waist and laying his head against his chest, "It makes me happy just to hear you say that. I don't need anything else."

"What if I need something else?"

"If you need something else I'll be there. We'll clean each other off when we get slushied and I'll clean you up after you've had a fight. But don't feel pressure, Noah. I told you I'm satisfied with where we're at and I meant it. You do whatever you think will make you happiest. I'll back you up."

"Kurt, time to come in," Mr. Hummel had almost looked like he didn't hate Puck when he opened the door to get his son inside. He hadn't even winced to see Kurt's arms around Puck's waist under his letter jacket and Puck holding him close under the rough fabric and leather. They hadn't spoken at all during the television marathon, but it hadn't been as uncomfortable as any of them had expected. Puck liked to think that he and Mr. Hummel had come to an understanding. They both cared for Kurt more than anything in the world and they would put up with each other for his sake if for nothing else. But, they were also a lot alike. He had hopes that Burt Hummel would come to like him. Someday maybe.

"Coming, Dad," Kurt had tilted his head up, asking for a kiss that Puck had been more than happy to give, "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Later," Puck had watched Kurt go back inside and had smiled all the way home to his empty, clean apartment. The misery had hit him after he'd gone to bed and he laid in the darkness fighting to keep his breathing steady. The ladies hadn't bothered to show up. They were perceptive, he thought, and knew that he wouldn't welcome Their company. But, there were little ways They tried to be there for him. He knew the little breeze in the room that settled the blanket over him was Them and just before he had fallen asleep he had sworn that he felt female hands running over his hair as someone hummed quietly in his ear and another rubbed his shoulders gently. Of course, that could have been a dream. He'd only been half awake. And, as nice as They were and as much as They seemed to like him, he wasn't sure that They would take such a personal interest in his distress. He realized when he got up that morning that that was bullshit and They did care. They'd made him breakfast. He wondered if the dishes would be done when he got home.

It was clear that Kurt hadn't actually thought he was serious about coming out the night before by the look on his face when Puck met him at his truck with a chaste kiss to Kurt's forehead that no one saw and walked into the school with his arm casually thrown over Kurt's shoulder. He tried not to do anything that would make Kurt uncomfortable, just in case he wasn't as ready as he thought to come out to the school with Puck as his boyfriend. Everything they did could have been construed as a close friendship. Puck only kept his arm on Kurt's shoulder until they got to Kurt's locker. He hung around while Kurt put away what he wouldn't need and gathered what he would and they walked to class side by side, their hands occasionally brushing. Puck sat down next to him in their shared history class and glared when the boy whose name he didn't even know approached the seat. The boy found another chair. Kurt gave him a confused look, but it didn't stop him from passing notes with Puck when they should have been paying attention. Puck walked Kurt to every class and ate lunch at the gleek table, something he had never done before. He was amazed when the glee kids had no reaction other than a couple of "it's about time" looks to the fact that he had joined them and the football players didn't say anything at all. He guessed they probably figured it was about time Puck joined the glee table anyway since he never seemed interested in their conversation anymore. He sat next to Kurt and couldn't keep the smile off of his face when Kurt linked their pinkies under the table, never pausing in his conversation with Mercedes, seated just opposite them. Finn gave him a strange look, but it was the first time he'd looked at Puck without hate in his eyes, so Puck didn't mind it at all. He was nearly asleep in his customary seat in the library at the beginning of his study hall when Artie finally approached.

"You really don't do subtle, do you, Puck?" Artie asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No idea what you're talking about," Puck sighed and put his arms behind his head, closing his eyes.

"Oh," Artie snorted, "So, you don't think that the way you're hovering and fawning over Kurt isn't going to be a dead give away?"

"Am I really fawning?" Puck asked, not opening his eyes in an effort to seem relaxed and nonchalant.

"Naw," Artie admitted readily, "I guess I probably notice more because I watch you two more, but you are pretty noticeable. So…what's going on?"

"Kurt will be happier if we come out. So…we're going to come out. Thought I'd give people a day to get used to seeing us together before I start with the whole boyfriend deal."

"The whole boyfriend deal?" Artie asked, "What does that entail?"

"You know, holding hands, kissing, stuff like that…Fuck, Abrams, it's not like I'm going to bend him over a desk and fuck him in the middle of class." He cracked his eye open to see Artie's disgusted look and chuckled before closing his eyes again.

"How are you dealing with…everything?" Artie's voice had gone low. Puck felt his heart stutter in his chest and groaned when he laid his head down on the desk in front of him.

"It's fine when I'm not thinking about it," He muttered, "So I try not to think about it at all. Why'd you have to go and bring it up?"

"Because it is going to happen, Puck." Artie's voice was comforting, as was the hand he set briefly to Puck's shoulder.

"I get that, Abrams. It's not like They didn't make it clear." He could hear the bitterness in his own voice and knew that it was not how he wanted to come across to the only person who could possibly understand in the slightest what he was going through. He lifted his head, set his chin on his folded arms and looked at the wall, "You know They tucked me in last night. And made me breakfast this morning. I think They feel bad."

"Of course They feel bad, Puck. They're good ladies. They don't want you to hurt. It's just…Sometimes They just don't think things through."

"You really like Them, don't you?" Puck asked, a little confused, "I mean, like, really like Them. You're close to Them."

"Yeah. They're my best friends." Artie smiled a smile Puck had never seen. It was soft and affectionate, "They have been since They…" He trailed off.

"Since They what, Abrams? You always find some reason to stop talking whenever it comes to what happened to you." Puck was surprised when Artie looked away, closing his eyes. Puck sat up, barely resisting the urge to set a hand to Artie's shoulder. He wasn't sure that Artie would appreciate the gesture coming from him. Not yet.

"I've never told anyone this," Artie said quietly, "I've always been kind of ashamed. I met the ladies three years ago. I was thirteen. It was my freshman year. I've been in a chair since I was eight, Puck. Before high school it was never a big deal. Then I got here and some of the upperclassmen…Let's just say they didn't take kindly to me. At first it was little things. They'd push me into the lockers, call me stupid things, things I'd heard before. I was able to brush them off like anything else that had ever happened. But, when it didn't work they started doing more. They'd rip me out of my chair and take it across the school. They started hitting me with their backpacks, hard. Broke my glasses and almost my nose. Busted my lip a couple of times. They did other things, worse things. I won't even tell you. They're pretty bad."

"Fuck, Artie…" Puck rubbed a hand over his face, "When we used to…"

"Puck," Artie reached over and patted his hand, "Nothing you guys ever did compared to what these assholes put me through. Trust me."

"So, what happened? They hurt you bad enough the ladies had to interfere?"

"No," Artie looked away again, "Nothing like that. What they were doing ended up getting to me," His voice was high and tight. Puck didn't resist the urge to touch him this time. Artie flinched when Puck set the hand to his shoulder, but didn't shrug the hand off, "I didn't have a lot of friends to talk to and my parents were going through a rough patch so I didn't want to put anything else on them. I tried to talk to one of my teachers and couldn't get the words out. I could only see one way out."

"Abrams…"

"I wasn't as strong then as I am now. It was a Saturday in December when I tried to hang myself. Well…" He chuckled without humor, "I succeeded. I was technically dead when my dad found me, but it hadn't been long. He cut me down, got my heart beating and me breathing again. But, I'd already done the damage. I was basically brain dead by the time they got me to the hospital. I'd cut off the oxygen to my brain for too long."

"Fuck, Artie," Puck muttered again, "When…when did the ladies come in?"

"Oh, They were always there." Artie smiled, "Physically I was brain dead. But, They'd stopped my soul from leaving my body so I never really died. And They arranged things so that I could hear everything going on around me. It shouldn't have been possible, but you know Them. I heard my mom and dad grieving, my older brother came home from college. He wasn't going to go back. They made me live like that for six months. I couldn't move. I couldn't die. All I could do was listen to all of the pain I had caused. My parents divorced. My brother started drinking and got into drugs. My grandmother grieved herself to death. All I wanted was to take everything back, to fix it. To try again." He paused, tears running down his cheeks. Puck took a deep breath and squeezed his shoulder.

"What happened?"

"The day my parents decided it was time to take me off of life support They pulled me back to the day I had tried to commit suicide. I thought maybe I had dreamed it all. But, there was the tie I had used, hanging from my closet rail. I didn't quite know what had happened, but I knew I had been given the second chance I had prayed for over and over again."

"What did you do?"

"Instead of hanging myself I called for my mom and dad. They rushed into the room and I told them what had been happening. They cried with me when they realized what I had been planning and told me over and over how much they loved me and how grateful they were that I had decided to talk to them instead. We went to Figgins the next Monday. The worst offenders were gone by that afternoon. He agreed to never mention it because I asked him to. He's a good guy. I wish things were easier for him."

"Fuck," Puck whispered, not knowing how he was supposed to react. Artie was one of the most positive people he had ever met. Nothing really seemed to get him down for long. Thinking about someone, anyone, making him feel like there was no other way out other than to…Fuck! His chest tightened in a way it usually only tightened when he thought about Friday. The hand that wasn't on Artie's shoulder tightened into a fist. He wanted to find those who had tortured Artie. He could remember their freshmen year and the disappointment that had been felt by the entire school when four of the best basketball players had been expelled just before Christmas without explanation. (Figgins really had protected Artie. He suddenly had a lot more respect for the man than he had ever had before.) He tried to keep his anger off of his face as it burned up through his chest. He wanted to find the bastards. He wanted to make them hurt. It was a strange, new sensation to care about people more than he cared about himself. It was hard enough letting his mom and his sister see how much he actually loved them. Then there was Kurt. Now Artie. And, if he was honest with himself, as he was trying to be, the others in Glee. He cared about them as well. Finn and Quinn a little more so than the others for obvious reasons, but he knew now that he would do just about anything to keep any of them from ever being hurt like Artie had been hurt.

"Yeah," Artie set a hand over the one Puck had on his shoulder and patted it gently. "But it was a long time ago. When I was laying in that bed, unable to do anything about what was happening around me I realized that nothing in my life was so bad that I wanted to end it. It's said that a lot of people who try to commit suicide and fail come to realize that. Not all of them, but I was one of them. I still didn't understand how I was brought back to life. Truthfully, even though I was happy to be alive I was afraid that I was going insane because I knew that it had actually happened but no one else did. I could still hear my mom crying in my dreams. I could hear my dad yelling at my brother because he came to the hospital high."

"I can see how that would drive you a little bit insane. I still see Kurt…lying there…almost every time I close my eyes."

"Yeah. That's something They say They never take away. They don't want us to forget what we've done and what could happen again if we don't watch ourselves. The ladies introduced themselves to me not long after I decided I was losing it. The point of letting me save myself wasn't to make me think I'd gone insane They told me. They explained to me who They were and what They had done because They had been watching me since the accident and They liked me. They said They did that, latched on to certain mortals when something about them fascinated Them. I was one of the lucky ones, They said. I told Them They were insane and asked how the hell They got into my room. Sakura giggled and patted my cheeks. Crystal rolled her eyes and slapped me upside the head. Aziza held me and rocked me like my mother used to do when I was a kid until I fell asleep. They've been there for me ever since. I just…get Them, I think, like no other mortal does. I'm not sure why They let themselves become my best friends and closest confidantes, but They have and I love Them for it. They're the ones who encouraged me to join the jazz band. They kind of pushed me into an introduction with Tina this year. And my date with her. They pushed me into that, too. I guess I'm kind of grateful even when They're pushy as hell." He lowered his head and blushed a little.

"Abrams!" Puck slapped him on the back heartily, much more comfortable with where the conversation was now than where it had been just moments before, "You dog! You tap that yet? Gotta say, man, you have good taste. She's cute."

"Yeah…"Artie shrugged Puck's hand off and they were both relieved that their bonding moment seemed to have come to an end, "We're kind of on hiatus at the moment. She told me that she was faking her stutter and I kind of flipped out on her and neither of us have really apologized yet."

"You should get on that," Puck said quietly. "You and I both know how fast things can change. Don't hold a grudge, dude. Be the first to say you're sorry."

"You might want to take your own advice, Puck."

"I've already…"

"Not Kurt, Puck. You've got that down. Finn and Quinn…" He held up a hand when Puck made to interrupt, "I'm just saying…Think about it. Okay?"

The bell rang before Puck had a chance to say anything and Artie gave him a look that said he wouldn't accept whatever bullshit Puck came up with anyway so he didn't even try to say anything as Artie wheeled himself out of the room. Puck put his head back on the table. Someday he was going to have the last word with Artie. It didn't help that Artie always seemed to be right. He was much wiser than he should have been at sixteen. Puck lifted his head when the bell rang again. He knew, intellectually, that he should head to class, especially because they had skipped the entire day before, but he just wasn't feeling it. Not that he was ever feeling class, but it just didn't seem worth it when Kurt wasn't even in the class. He needed a break. He walked outside. None of the teachers even stopped him. The sun felt good on his face as he laid in the middle of the football field and tried to nap.

"You know, ladies," he spoke up after a while, not opening the eyes, "I'm not going to fall apart. You don't have to keep an eye on me every second."

"Oh, we know that, Noah."

Puck lifted himself up on his elbows and smiled a little when he spotted them. Sakura was seated cross-legged on the grass, a guitar in her hands that she strummed gently every once in a while like it was an afterthought. She looked like a hippy in the flowing shirt and jeans, Puck thought. But, it was probably the look she was going for with her feet bare and a flower in her loose hair. Crystal was in the same pencil skirt power suit she had worn every other time Puck had seen her. He didn't know how her four inch heels weren't sinking into the grass that she was glaring at so disdainfully. Aziza was kneeling in a pretty sundress, cooing to the dove on her hand.

"You don't need us to watch you," Crystal said, "We know you're not going to do anything stupid. We just…" She swallowed hard.

"We wanted to apologize," Sakura set the guitar down and looked at him earnestly, "Artie's right. Sometimes we just don't think before we act. Being immortal does that to you, surprisingly. There are no consequences for us so we tend to forget that there are for others. There are limits to our powers, though. And we wish we could take back what we've done but there's only so much we're allowed to do when it comes to one person."

"Naw," Puck ran a hand over his Mohawk, "I'm glad you did what you did. I'm…grateful Kurt won't die not knowing…"

"We could make you forget," Aziza said softly, helping the dove launch into the air, "If it would make it easier for you we could make you forget that you know."

"No!" Puck's voice was sharp. All three of the ladies flinched and he winced and smoothes his tone again, "Sorry. I don't want to forget. I don't want to be that ass again. Kurt deserves more."

"Noah!"

Puck turned his head to look over his shoulder when he heard Kurt call out to him. By the time he looked back, the ladies were gone, leaving only his guitar on the field. He wondered if They had spent all day at his apartment. He picked up the guitar and stood, turning around to face Kurt. He hated the fact that Kurt looked around to make sure that they were completely alone before he leaned in for a kiss.

"What are you doing out here?" Kurt asked, "You're going to be late for Glee."

"Just thinking. Needed to get my head on straight. Let's go. Can't be late. Rachel will castrate us."

"And I do rather enjoy that portion of your anatomy," Kurt patted the front of Puck's pants teasingly. Puck's eyes went wide in shock at the move. Kurt doubled over laughing at the sight, then abruptly cut off when Puck lunged for him on a growl. Kurt took off like a shot, Puck chasing him back into the school. Neither one of them saw the three women on the football field, hands clasped tightly as they watched the young men, very much in love, have their fun.

"He's smart," Crystal whispered, "And he loves Kurt. He'll do the right thing."

"I hope he does," Sakura set her head to her sister's shoulder.

Aziza moved to wrap them both in a hug, "We all hope so," She said gently. The three took a deep breath as one. The wind blew gently in Their direction. And then They were gone


	10. Chapter 10

**All previous disclaimers apply.**

**Author's Note: This feels very OOC to me on so many different levels, but please forgive this fact. And it's kind of short, but please forgive this as well! Please let me know what you think if you have a moment. Thanks so much, faithful readers, for sticking with this story this long! Happy reading! T.H.**

"What the hell do you think you're doing, Puckerman?"

Puck jerked back in surprise when his locker door was slammed nearly on his face just before his first class the next day. Kurt had texted early that morning that he was going to be late coming into school because of an annual doctor's appointment for allergies and Puck had tried not to be too disappointed. They hadn't even gotten their customary afternoon together yesterday. Burt had put his foot down, figuring out what all of Kurt's "study groups" actually were and Kurt had had to go into the shop and work with him until closing, then there was homework to be done so they hadn't seen each other since school let out the day before. After a couple of days of spending so much time together it was hard. Puck didn't want to admit it, even to himself, but he missed Kurt. And he could have used him now when suddenly Mercedes was backing him into the wall with fury across her normally amiable features. He held up his hands in an effort to ward her off before he thought about the fact that it made him seem like he was actually afraid of a girl. (Which he totally wasn't, but, damn, Mercedes looked pissed!) When he did finally realize what he was doing he cleared his throat and crossed his arms before leaning back against the wall in what he hoped was a casual, uncaring way. Mercedes stepped right up to him and poked him hard in the chest. He fought down his natural reaction to rub what he was sure was going to become a bruise and simply looked back at her with what he hoped was an unimpressed expression.

"What the fuck, Aretha?" He asked mildly, bordering on bored.

"What the hell do you think you're doing with Kurt?" Mercedes hissed. He was glad she was keeping her voice down. They were getting enough attention just by her pushing him into a wall.

"What do you mean what am I doing?" Puck asked, keeping his voice just as low, "I thought it was pretty obvious. I'm dating him."

"No, Puckerman," She poked him hard in the chest again, "You're fucking with him twice a week. There's a big difference. I don't know what little game you've been playing at the past week, but you better stop! You're getting his hopes up and he's too fragile right now for you to break his heart!"

"Fragile?" Puck scoffed. He wanted to yell, but satisfied himself with an angry near whisper instead, "Have you ever actually met him, Mercedes? Kurt is the fucking strongest person I've ever met in my life. He doesn't need you to fight his battles for him. If he didn't want me to be doing what I'm doing he'd tell me and have nothing more to do with me. You know it and I know it. So, what the fuck is really bothering you?"

"Really bothering me?" Mercedes huffed indignantly. Puck kept his laugh behind his teeth, wisely he thought, as Mercedes looked like she could cheerfully murder him at any moment, "You're what's really bothering me, Puckerman! You fuck him twice a week for months and don't even look at him any other time and now all of the sudden you want to be the perfect boyfriend, taking him on picnics, meeting his dad, getting ready to come out of the closet with him. Yeah, I've noticed your little PDAs the past couple of days. I want to know what the hell your angle is and if it isn't making my baby the happiest boy on earth I'm warning you to stop now. Cause if you hurt him in any way I will kill you."

"You sound like a broken record. And you're his best friend, not his mother," Puck rolled his eyes, but softened when he saw the look on her face. Shit. The only reason she was doing what she was doing was because she cared about Kurt and she was genuinely concerned that he was going to hurt him beyond what she could help him heal. He stood up straight and took her arm. She protested with a squawk as he led her around the corner to a less populated hallway.

"What the hell, Puck?" She pulled her arm away.

"Look," He ran a hand over his Mohawk. The only way to get her off of his back was going to be telling her the complete truth. And that was uncomfortable as hell. "I…I've been an ass. To everyone. I admit it. And I've hurt Kurt a lot in the past few months. You're his best friend and I know he probably tells you everything so you know better that most what an asshole I am. But…" He took a deep breath, "Fuck, this is harder to say than I thought it would be. I'm trying not to be who I was, Mercedes. There's no angle here, okay? Everything I've been doing…I'm doing because I want to be with him. I want to make him happy, okay? Fuck! I…I'm in…I'm kind of crazy about him." He winced inwardly when he still couldn't say those stupid, fucking three little words out loud. He had kept his eyes firmly glued to the ground as he said his little speech and finally looked up at Mercedes when he had finished. She was looking back at him with shocked eyes.

"You seriously mean it, don't you?" She asked on a whisper, unable to force anymore sound out of her tight throat. He nodded and looked down at his shoes again.

"I really mean it." He leaned against the wall.

"What the hell brought this on?" She asked.

"Woke up," He muttered. He was surprised when that seemed to be enough for her and even more surprised when she put her arms around him and hugged him, despite the fact that his arms were crossed across his chest.

"What the hell?" He asked, pulling away quickly.

"He told me that you'd changed. I didn't really believe him. I'm glad to see it's true. But, seriously, you ever hurt him and I'm going to bust you up. That boy would die for you and if you betray that trust…" She let the threat hang there and Puck swallowed hard. He wouldn't be surprised if Mercedes grew up to be a psychologist. She knew that it was far more effective to let him imagine what she would do to him than it was to actually threaten something concrete. He seriously got the vibe that the last threat wasn't anything physical at all and it was scary enough to think of her beating on him. (Which she probably could and he would never actually admit to anyone out loud.) He really didn't want to think about what she could do if she declared psychological warfare.

"Got it," He said, then because he didn't want her to think that she'd scared him at all, he added an asshole smirk and a little salute before he turned his back on her and sauntered –yes, sauntered- away. He could practically hear her eye roll before she headed the other direction and grinned all the way to class. He was bored until lunch when he saw Kurt for the first time all day, sitting at the glee table, laughing over his salad with Mercedes and Artie and, obviously, saving him a seat. He smiled as he grabbed a coke from the vending machine against the wall and made his way over to him.

"Hey, babe," He put a hand to Kurt's shoulder as he sat down, "How'd your appointment go?"

Kurt looked at the hand on his shoulder in disbelief for a moment before he turned confused and hopeful eyes on Puck. When Puck simply moved his hand to the back of Kurt's neck and began to rub comfortably the hope and confusion blossomed into a joy that spread across Kurt's face like the sun was rising. Puck grinned back in response and couldn't help but lean in for a quick, chaste kiss before he settled back into his chair and looked around for a moment. He almost frowned. He had basically just outed himself, kissing Kurt and all, and no one even really seemed to notice. That was the bad thing about sitting at the glee table, he supposed. No one was looking at them because no one really wanted to be them or see what they were doing so that they could emulate it in the hopes of being cool. It looked like he was going to have to be a little more obvious with his next attempt. He smiled. He had the perfect place. And maybe it was a little bit of a shit plan guaranteed to get him slushied, thrown in the dumpster, beat up, or all three tomorrow but the only thing that really mattered would be that Kurt would appreciate it. Satisfied with himself he turned back to the gleeks.

Tina looked shocked her mouth hanging open, her eyes wide, as she looked at the couple. Artie was trying to look surprised and failing miserably, but luckily no one was looking at him anyway. Mercedes was beaming at them. Rachel looked slightly confused and slightly amused by what she had just seen. Mike and Matt, who had taken to sitting with the gleeks long before he even had just looked plain confused. Brittany and Santana never sat with them anyway and even when they found out he wasn't expecting any shit from them. They'd been together longer than he'd been with Kurt. And, even if they were bitches at times, they were not hypocrites. He trusted that they wouldn't have anything to say. He was kind of regretting that Finn and Quinn weren't there, but knew that they had an appointment with the baby doctor during lunch today. Finn had been telling everyone. It would have been much easier for them to see than for him to have to explain later, but he just shrugged it off, physically and mentally. He was going to have to man up, that was all. He was a badass. It shouldn't be that hard.

"My appointment was fine," Kurt finally answered, turning back to his salad and pushing a cherry tomato toward Puck with his fork. Puck opened his mouth and Kurt rolled his eyes, but stabbed it with his fork and fed it to him anyway, "I had to get my first shot today and I hate them, but my allergies won't be nearly as bad and I won't feel like I have to cry every time I step onto the football field anymore."

"You have to get shots?" Mike asked with a shudder, "Man that sucks! I hate needles!"

And with that the spell was broken. Everyone began talking again. For possibly the first time Puck felt a true connection with the people he was sitting at the table with. He had always known, internally, that they were much better people than he had ever tried to be, but this just proved it to him. Fifteen seconds of uncomfortable shock and disbelief was all it had taken before they had all decided that it just didn't matter. So he and Kurt were together. So what? For them it was just another little quirk of their already strange little group. God, he was turning into such a chick! Here he was, fighting the stinging sensation at the back of his eyes that he knew was going to be tears if he let it just because the glee club had proved to be what he had always known they were. Loyal and true friends. Fuck, he had been such an asshole and all they did when he revealed that he was dating one of their most beloved, the one everyone wanted to protect, was accept them both? He was glad for their friendship and acceptance, but something just wasn't adding up. He realized what it was as he walked away from Kurt's classroom after dropping him off and Rachel was suddenly at his side.

"Is this serious, Noah?" She asked. He grimaced but managed to hold back his glare. Really the only ones he wanted calling him Noah were his mother and Kurt, but allowances had to be made for Rachel. He didn't want to make her cry and anything less than yelling at her wouldn't get through. So the only thing to do would be to grin and bear it, "I know that a lot of boys and girls experiment in high school and college. It's healthy. But, if it is only experimentation, I think you should stop it now. Kurt doesn't need to be anyones experiment, especially in Lima. He stands to lose so much more than you if you decide that being with a boy is not what you want after all."

"Look, Berry," He stopped and turned toward her, "I appreciate that you're just trying to protect Kurt. Really, I do. But, frankly, our business is none of yours."

"Noah…"

Damn. She was tearing up, "But just to put your mind at ease…it's not an experiment. I know what I'm doing and what I want. So does Kurt. Okay?"

Her tears dried up in an instant and she grinned, "Okay! I can set up a meeting between you guys and my dads if you ever want to…"

He stared at her for a moment, disbelieving, then simply turned on his heel and walked away. It was better than being tempted to smack her after all. He braced himself for Tina's waning when he saw her approach him after the next class, but in a way she was the easiest of all.

She simply stopped in front of him, her head cocked to the side as she studied him for a moment, "Just between us, Jock…are you really crazy about Kurt?"

He couldn't help but smile at her frankness, "Just between us, Goth Girl…yes."

She nodded, "Good," and they grinned at each other, an understanding between them. He shook his head, baffled, as he walked to the locker room to change for football. He never thought he would feel the most comfortable about Tina approaching him. And he never, ever thought he would be uncomfortable around Matt and Mike, but when they approached him in the locker room he felt something up his spine akin to fear, though he would never admit it.

"So..." Mike's arms were crossed, "You and Hummel…"

"Yeah me and Hummel," Puck lifted his chin and sneered, "Problem?"

"No, man…" Mike held up his hands," No problem. It's just…"

"You screw up a lot, man." Matt said pointedly, "Don't screw this one up." Matt never said much, Puck mused, but when he did it was always poignant.

Puck nodded and smiled a little when Kurt walked into the room, "I don't intend to," He said quietly. The two nodded and moved to their own customary changing spots.

"I don't intend to," Puck whispered to himself as practice was winding down and Kurt started heading for the locker room, his fifteen minutes early as was customary. Puck took a deep breath and began to walk toward him. Kurt gave him a strange look, but he just smirked and continued on the way to the locker room with him.

"Puckerman, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Tanaka called out, "You still have fifteen minutes left."

"Just being fair, Coach," Puck called back to him, "Hummel showers fifteen early because he's gay. Figure it's only right that I shower fifteen early too." He shrugged casually and began to move toward the locker room again.

"Ha ha. Very funny, Puckerman. Get your ass back out here."

"What? You need proof?" Puck shrugged, "Fine."

He looked at Kurt for approval for a second as he set his hand to Kurt's waist. Kurt gave approval by stepping up to him. Puck angled Kurt's chin up with his free hand and fit their mouths together. It wasn't a hot kiss, it wasn't vulgar. It was just a kiss like any boy would give the person he loved. They didn't even use tongue, but they were both blushing when they pulled apart.

Puck looked back at Tanaka and the rest of the team, all of them, including Finn, standing with their mouths open in shock. "I'm gay for Hummel, Coach. I'll shower with him."

He held Kurt's hand as they turned to walk to the locker rooms again. Neither of them would say it but he knew that they were both feeling the tension as they walked. He was almost afraid that someone would throw something at their retreating backs. But, then the Cheerios, led by Santana and Brittany, began to cheer and whistle and catcall. Kurt grinned at him and Puck felt his stomach do a flip that wasn't entirely unpleasant.

"Yeah," He held his head up high and grinned at Kurt, "We totally got this."

He heard the sound of female giggling that he was sure only he could hear and for the first time since all of this had started felt right and happy when he simply threw back his head and laughed along.


	11. Chapter 11

**All previous disclaimers apply. Also I do not own "I Need You To Turn To." Those rights belong to Elton John and Bernie Taupin, both much more talented than I.**

**Author's Note: Once again, very OOC, but I think justifiably in this one. Please remember that there will be two endings to this. One most everyone has probably already guessed and you've all gotten it right! The other…not telling! There's one more chapter before we get to endings. Please tell me what you think if you have a moment. This chapter was hard for me. Thanks. T.H. **

**Lastly, if you have a moment check out "I Need You To Turn To." It's a beautiful song. I prefer the Live In Australia recording, but the original is beautiful as well.**

Puck had known, intellectually, that Thursday was going to be hard. He had expected it. After how Kurt had acted when they weren't together, trying to keep his pain from someone he thought didn't give a shit about him Puck was prepared to notice everything ten times more because Kurt, he hoped, would allow him to see it. But, even knowing hadn't prepared him for how horrible Kurt actually looked, how badly the day was going to affect him. He wasn't dressed to him normal standard, instead wearing an almost exact replica of what he had worn on their first date, only a hat was pulled snuggly over his hair because, Puck could tell by the little fly-aways under the rim, he hadn't bothered to do it that morning and he had left off the vest. Hell, he still looked better than most of the guys that went to McKinley, but the outfit was a red flag for Puck and Mercedes when they met Kurt at his car that morning. Kurt tried to give them a smile, but it came out as more of a grimace and Puck could hear him sniffle as Mercedes hugged him close and tight. He was trembling when Puck finally took him in his arms and it ignited all of the protective instincts Puck had ever had in his body as he wrapped Kurt in his arms, pulling his jacket around the small form to offer some sort of warmth. Kurt buried his cold little nose in Puck's neck and the bigger boy rubbed his back gently.

"Babe, why didn't you just stay home if you're going to feel like this all day?" He whispered as Mercedes looked on at them, tears in her own eyes.

"My dad throws himself into his work every year on this day and it seems to work for him. Usually I wallow. This year I decided to take his approach. I guess we'll see if it works for me, too," Kurt answered, "It's easier knowing you and Mercedes and everyone else will be here all day."

He tried to smile again and this time it looked better, so Puck felt a little more at ease as they headed into the school. There must have been something about the depressed look on Kurt's face and the fiercely protective look on his that warned the slushy toting jocks to stay away from the both of them because though he saw more than a few cups headed their direction none of the cold beverage ever hit either one of them. Puck kept a close eye on Kurt in the classes they shared and worried about him through the ones that they didn't. He'd never seen Kurt so depressed and there was a nagging feeling deep in his gut telling him to do something about it. He spent the first math class he had attended in nearly three years trying to figure out something he could do to brighten Kurt's day in the slightest and when he finally thought of something he couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it sooner. He spoke to Mr. Schuester just as lunch started and was glad when their coach gave him permission to do as he requested.

"So you and Kurt, huh, Puck?" Mr. Schuester asked quietly just as Puck was about to leave, "It's not just a rumor?"

"Nope," Puck answered, for once without sarcasm, "Not just a rumor, Mr. Schue."

"Just…be good to each other, okay?"

Puck could only nod. Mr. Schuester was the only person who didn't seem to think that he was the only one who could screw up something as wonderful as his relationship with Kurt. He had said to be good to each other, which meant he knew that there was as much potential for Kurt to hurt him as there was for Puck to hurt Kurt. It kind of took his breath away to know that a man like Will Schuester had as much faith in Noah Puckerman as he did in Kurt Hummel and believed in them both and didn't want to see either of them hurt. It was the first time it had happened in the course of their relationship and, if he was honest, it was the first time it had happened to him in his life.

He walked into the lunch room in a daze of slight confusion at this revelation, but woke up quickly enough to join in with the rest of the gleeks in trying to get Kurt to eat something. Someone must have told Brittany and Santana what a hard day this was going to be for Kurt because they were seated at the glee table trying to coax him into a few bites along with everyone else. Finn and Quinn stared at Puck, disbelieving still, when he sat down next to Kurt and put a comforting arm around his shoulder. But, they nodded in understanding when he gave them a look that clearly stated their questions and the problems they all had with each other would have to wait. They were trumped by Kurt today. They were good enough friends to Kurt that they realized that too.

"I thought I could handle this but I can't…" Kurt whispered just as lunch was ending.

Puck pulled him closer to his side, "Do you want me to take you home?"

"No…I want to be there for Glee. It'll keep my mind occupied. I just don't want to sit in class. Can we…go somewhere close? Just until school lets out?"

"Sure, Kurt. How about we go get a coffee or something and hang out on the field? It's a nice day."

"That sounds perfect, Noah. Thank you."

When they were settled in the middle of the field, Kurt laying comfortably half on and half off of Puck and nearly asleep as Puck rubbed his back he finally said what he had been fearing to say all day and nearly all his life it seemed, "Do you think it's silly…to still be so affected? I mean, she died when I was eight. I don't even really remember much about her. Just how she smelled, how she looked. Sometimes when I'm nearly asleep I think I almost remember how her laugh sounded, how it felt when she held me, but I'm never quite sure that it's not just my imagination."

"It's not just your imagination," Puck assured him, "And no. You're not silly. You loved your mom. Doesn't matter how long she's been gone. It's natural that it hurts, makes you feel raw inside. Don't even worry about any of us thinking you're silly because we never will. Got it?"

"Got it," Kurt murmured, "Do you still get…raw inside…over your father?"

Puck took a deep breath and pulled Kurt a little closer to his chest, "Sometimes. But, mine's not because I loved him. He was a bastard who beat on me and my mom whenever the urge hit him. My mom tried to get us away from him so many times, but he just kept finding us. He would be so sorry, hug us both, cry, kiss our faces, tell us things were going to be different. Mom believed him so many times and he just broke her heart again and again. When she found out she was pregnant with Miri something in her snapped. The first time he came after her while she was pregnant she pulled a kitchen knife on him. Told him that if he ever came near her or me again she'd kill him. He packed a bag that night and we never saw him again. So, when I get raw most of it is still anger that I couldn't have done something before my mom had to pull a knife on the guy."

"Noah…" Kurt looked up at him, "How old were you?"

"I was eight, too," Puck said, looking down at him.

"I always thought he'd just left all of you. I never knew about everything else. You never told me."

"Kurt…" Puck cupped his face in a gentle hand, "I never told anyone. Things got so much better after that. Ma always had to work hard and we never really had anything great, but we had enough. Just the three of us. Everything was cool until I started fucking up. But… don't feel sorry for me. I don't think that I could stand that."

"I don't feel sorry for you, Noah. I ache for the little boy you never got to be. I'm upset that your father gave you such a skewed sense of love that you had to go out and…well, we both know what you did before us. But, I'll never feel sorry for you. You're not the person he almost made you, Noah. You're not. You're so much more and so much better. I always thought you could be and now I know it. You're changing. You have changed. You're…you…" He buried his face in Puck's chest, blushing a bright red, "I don't want to sound ridiculous, but you're everything I've ever…dreamed of."

"That does sound ridiculous," Puck said flatly, then grinned when Kurt looked up at him, annoyance playing across his features. It was such a relief when all that had been on his face all day was a kind of lack of expression that didn't belong on Kurt's face ever that Puck began to laugh. Kurt managed to look annoyed for five more seconds before he began giggling and buried his face in Puck's chest once more until they both calmed and laid in the comfortable silence, looking up at the clouds that drifted by slowly.

"Thank you…" Kurt whispered, "For making me laugh."

The bell rang and they both looked up and across the field. "Ready for Glee?" Puck asked quietly.

"Yes. Bolstered and prepared," Kurt said. He leaned up to take Puck's lips in a gentle kiss before he stood and held out a hand to help his boyfriend up.

"You think that your dad will loosen the noose enough to let you come hang out after practice?" Puck asked as they walked back toward the school, hands clasped tightly.

"This is the one night of the year he allows himself to go out and get drunk off of his ass. Carlos, the other mechanic in his shop, drags him home at about five in the morning. He's a good friend. I never stay at home for it. Usually I stay with my grandparents. Last year I stayed with Mercedes. This year I had planned to stay with you. If that's okay?"

"Don't be like that," Puck nudged him with his shoulder, "You know it's okay. Why don't we just leave your car here tonight? I can just drive you to school in the morning."

"And leave my baby in a public parking lot unattended all night long? I think not. We can leave your truck if you insist on driving together. There's less of a chance of anything happening to it. No one wants to break into a POS like that."

"I can't believe you just said POS," Puck laughed and wrapped an arm around Kurt's shoulder as they walked into the room, pleased that he had a little of his spark back.

"All right," Mr. Schuester started the rehearsal as he started so many of the others, hands clasped in an excitement that none of them were sure they were going to be able to reciprocate. He'd had some awful ideas, after all, "Before we get started on our new number for regionals one of your own would like to make a special presentation. So, without further ado…Puck, take it away."

Kurt looked at him, surprised, but Puck only motioned for him to go sit by Mercedes as he got up. He grabbed his guitar, already out on its stand and waiting for him and one of the stools they used for True Colors. He kept his eyes down as he sat on the stool and made sure his guitar was still tuned. He was suddenly nervous and he wasn't entirely sure why, but this would please Kurt and that was all that mattered. So, he fought his nerves down and made a couple of minor adjustments to his tuning before looking up and smiling at all of them.

"This is for Kurt," He said simply, knowing that the rest of the glee club already knew that, but needing to say it out loud for himself. Kurt smiled at him gently, still looking confused, and didn't take his eyes off of him as he began to play. It was a simple song, really, and short, but the lyrics were what had attracted him to it in the first place and he put every effort into making sure Kurt understood what he was trying to say with them.

You're not a ship to carry my life.

You are nailed to my love in many lonely nights.

I've strayed from the cottages and found myself here.

Oh, I need your love. Your love protects my fears.

And I wonder sometimes.

And I know I'm unkind.

But I need you to turn to when I act so blind.

And I need you to turn to when I lose control.

You're my guardian angel who keeps out the cold.

Did you paint your smile on when I said I knew

That my reason for living was for loving you?

We're related in feeling, but you're high above.

You're pure, and you're gentle with the grace of a dove.

And I wonder sometimes.

And I know I'm unkind.

But I need you to turn to when I act so blind.

And I need you to turn to when I lose control.

You're my guardian angel who keeps out the cold.

He looked down during as he began the second verse and didn't look up again until he had finished and the glee club remained silent. He was worried until he looked at Kurt and saw the tears running down his face and the gentle smile on his face. Mercedes was holding his hand and tears were in her eyes as well. In fact, tears were in all of the girl's eyes, he noticed. And the guys even looked impressed. He would have smirked in accomplishment if any of that had mattered. But, it didn't. What mattered was Kurt. Kurt who was standing and coming toward him slowly. He stood and set his guitar on the stool just as Kurt reached him. Kurt stood before him for only a moment before Puck realized what he wanted and opened his arms to invite the smaller boy in.

"Thank you," Kurt whispered in his ear, one hand running over his Mohawk. Puck buried his face in Kurt's neck. And it was so much more than enough.

"Do you feel like anything particular for dinner?" Puck asked quietly when they were at his apartment later that night, tucked together on the couch and spending their time not really watching whatever was on the television.

"I'm not hungry," Kurt murmured.

"Babe, you haven't really eaten all day. And you're small enough as it is. How about something simple? I can make grilled cheese or mac and cheese or…nope, that's about the extent of my cooking skills. Pick one."

Kurt looked at the determined look on his face and sighed, "Grilled cheese would be okay. Do you have any tomato soup?"

They ate their simple dinner in silence, but it wasn't uncomfortable at all. In fact, it was the most comfortable Puck had been all day. Kurt wasn't looking down anymore. He was looking…content was the only way Puck knew how to put it. Calm was another word that described how his boyfriend looked at he ate. He smiled when he looked up and saw Puck watching him. They did their few dishes side by side and when the last one was put back in the cabinet Kurt turned to Puck and smiled softly again.

"Noah…will you take me to bed now?"

"If that's what you want, babe."

"It's what I want, Noah."

"All right then."

Kurt didn't even made a protestation when Puck picked him up and carried him down the short hall to his room. There was something different about tonight, Puck realized, and was more grateful than he could say that they had the chance at all to come to this point. He set Kurt down on his feet when they reached his room and cupped his face in his hands to kiss him gently. Kurt returned the slow, deep kiss with a passion that was more like a slow burn compared to their normal raging fire. They undressed each other slowly without words. And when Puck laid Kurt on his bed it was on his back. He watched Kurt's every expression, listened for every murmured encouragement, as he prepared the smaller boy slowly, no hurry. Kurt reached out to lace their fingers together as Noah slid into him. Noah gasped at the sensation of being one with another person. He'd had sex more than anyone twice his age should have. But, it had never been like this. This was…so much…too much. He closed his eyes tight as they moved together like they had always been meant to be together this way. It was Kurt who laid his free hand against his cheek and began to murmur comfort, knowing what was going on his boyfriend's mind.

"It's all right, Noah. Just give into it. Don't fight it."

Noah opened his eyes again and looked down at Kurt, bathed in moonlight, so alive, the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. He leaned down to kiss him. Kurt returned the impossibly tender kiss and felt the tears come into his eyes when Noah pulled back and pushed back the hair that had fallen into his eyes gently. They murmured words without meaning to each other as they rocked together for what felt like an eternity. When they did finally fall over the edge together the release was long and lasting and they laid in each other's arms quietly for a long time before either of them spoke.

When Kurt did finally speak again, it was quiet, almost a whisper, "I love you, Noah."

Puck smiled down at Kurt as gently as he knew how before kissing him tenderly, "What you and I have, Kurt," He said quietly, hating himself for not being able to say the words, but hoping this would do, "It's forever. You know that, don't you?"

"I do," Kurt smiled up at him and it was so sweet that Puck's heart caught in his throat, "Forever…"

Puck kissed his forehead gently as Kurt slipped off into sleep. He waited until he was sure that Kurt was sleeping deeply before he transferred him gently onto the pillow and stole away into the living room. The first sob, as he sat on the edge of the couch, head buried in his hands, didn't surprise him. He bit his knuckle to keep himself from keening, but did nothing to stop the tears. It wasn't fair. He felt defeated. He felt broken. It wasn't fair that he should fall so in love with someone, with Kurt, only to be faced with the knowledge that he would die the next day. He had meant what he told Artie. He couldn't watch Kurt die like that again. He wouldn't be able to bear it. But, he couldn't let Kurt die alone either. So, he would have to be there. He would have to watch it all over again. Then, he would come home, his hands still covered in Kurt's blood, and he would drink down every single sleeping pill in his mother's medicine cabinet with the whiskey she didn't know was still hidden in the bookcase from when his father had bothered to try hiding his alcoholism. He was sorry that she and Miri would come home to that, but he'd write them a letter explaining that he just couldn't live in a world where Kurt didn't.

"Noah, no!"

He jerked his head up when the familiar voices cried out at the same time. The ladies were all in front of him, tears running down Their faces. Aziza was covering her mouth in shock. Crystal was gripping her hair in tight fists. Sakura was reaching out to him. He fell to his knees, unaware of his nakedness in his sorrow, and allowed Them to wrap him in Their comforting arms.

"I can't live without him!" He sobbed, no longer bothering to control the volume of his voice. He wailed, a sound he didn't recognize as coming from his body. The ladies held him all the closer, sobbing with him.

"There is a way," Sakura finally said when all of them had exhausted their tears, "We've already overstepped our bounds with you. We weren't supposed to tell you."

"But we will," Aziza stroked his hair gently, "This week wasn't supposed to end in the loss of two lives. We wouldn't be able to bear it. We didn't think…we should have thought…we're so sorry, Noah Puckerman."

"What way?" Puck demanded, taking only what he needed from Aziza's statement, "What can I do?"

"It still involves a death, Noah," Crystal said, her voice smoother, gentler, than Puck had ever heard it, "Someone has to die. The Balance won't be satisfied otherwise."

"Who?" Puck asked quietly, already knowing.

"If…" Sakura swallowed and began again, "If you were willing to give your life for Kurt, to take his place…his death…the Balance will be satisfied and Death will write a new time for Kurt, much further down the line."

"How much further?" Puck asked, "Show me."

Aziza set a hand to his forehead and when he closed his eyes he saw Kurt. He knew it was Kurt instinctively but he wouldn't have recognized him. Because Kurt was old. Very old. He was in a large bed surrounded by people of all ages, another old man holding his hand gently, two middle aged women sitting on the bed with him, his daughters, Puck knew, telling him to go if he was in pain. That they would all miss him, but they would love him forever and he would never really leave them. Grandchildren kissed him goodbye. A great-grandchild, just an infant, named for him, was laid with him for a moment. Then, they all left the room except for the other old man, who obviously loved Kurt more than anything and moved his old body slowly to lay in the bed with him. He was still whispering how much he loved him when Kurt took his last breath and passed peacefully. In his sleep.

"Please go away now," Puck sobbed when he came back to himself, "Just go away. I need to think."

"No matter what you choose," Crystal kissed his forehead where Aziza's hand had been moments before, "We love you, Noah."

And They were gone.

Noah dragged himself to his feet with effort and then to the bathroom without really knowing what he was doing. He washed his face free of all tear tracks, waited until his eyes were not quite so red anymore, and walked back to his room. He looked at Kurt sleeping peacefully and knew that there was nothing to think about. He stood in his window for a long time, wishing that his mother was there, that he'd gotten to at least hug his sister, lost in thoughts of regret and knowing he was making the right choice.

"Mmm…Noah?" Kurt was only half awake when Noah turned around to look at him. He smiled at the way Kurt was holding the blanket to his waist modestly with one hand and reaching out for him with the other, "What are you doing?"

"Thinking." He answered truthfully.

"Come back to bed," Kurt said quietly and Noah obeyed. He slipped into the bed, sighing when Kurt settled against him and fell back to sleep almost immediately. He kissed Kurt's hair gently and closed his eyes. But, he didn't sleep.

"Love you," Kurt sighed in his sleep, "Forever."

"Forever, Kurt…" Noah whispered back, "Forever."


	12. Chapter 12

**All previous disclaimers apply.**

**Author's Note: Unhappy chapter. Please be gentle with it. I'm not quite satisfied with it, but hope you'll like it anyway. Please let me know what you think if you have a moment! Separate endings, one hopeful, one happy, should be up in the next few days. I hope you'll consider reading them both. Happy reading! T.H.**

"Babe…" Puck pressed a light kiss to Kurt's forehead, "Babe…wake up." He pressed his nose against Kurt's neck playfully and then kissed his closed eyelid, "Kurt, wake up."

Kurt mumbled, not quite coming awake but nearing it, and turned his face away from Puck with a cute little moan that had Puck smiling. But, he would not be denied. Not today. He ran a hand over Kurt's mussed hair for a moment before standing and pulling the blanket away from the bed. Kurt came awake with a squawk of indignation and glared up at Puck, disbelief in his eyes. Puck just stood back and laughed. Kurt had a wicked tongue, it was true, but when he tried to express displeasure with just a look he ended up just looking cute instead. Kind of like a glowering kitten.

"Noah, are you out of your mind?"

Kitten could hiss, Puck thought, and shook his head, unable to stop laughing. Kurt just glared and covered his naked lap with a pillow before he crossed his arms and waited for Puck to stop laughing.

"Sorry, babe," He smiled when he was able to control himself, "You just look cute."

"I'm glad I can amuse you," Kurt muttered, not uncrossing his arms.

"Come on, babe," Puck frowned at the tone of his voice, "Don't be like that. Don't go all ice on me. I just wanted us to…Fuck, I can't explain. Just come with me. Please?" Kurt looked at him, no longer quite as angry as he had been, but still looking unhappy, "I already made coffee." Puck tried.

"It's the middle of the night, Noah," Kurt murmured, but climbed out of the bed and grabbed his jeans.

"Not quite," Puck murmured, distracted as he watched Kurt slip into his tight jeans without bothering with underwear, "Promise."

He walked across the room and wrapped his arms around Kurt from behind, pulling his slight form to his chest and simply breathing him in for a moment before kissing his neck. Kurt moaned quietly and brought and hand up to cup Puck's neck and stroke him Mohawk once before his body relaxed completely against Puck's chest. He sighed and angled his head so that Puck had better access to his neck.

"Not that I don't want to pound you into the mattress, babe," Puck whispered after a moment, "But, I didn't get you up for this."

"All right," Kurt sighed deeply, "Since you obviously aren't going to drop this…Lead on."

Puck kissed his neck one last time, grabbed one of his own hoodies and pulled it over Kurt's head, and took his hand to lead him through the apartment. Kurt just looked at him with amusement as he pushed a thermos into his hands and led him out of the apartment. He frowned a little as they took the stairs up until they reached the roof of the apartment complex, wondering what the hell they were doing. He shook his head, still confused, when Puck led him across the roof by the hand.

"Noah, what are we doing up here?" He finally asked when they were seated on a blanket that his sweet, but maybe not entirely sane boyfriend had obviously already put out before he had even come to wake Kurt up, "It's dark and it's cold. We have school today. We should be sleeping. We…"

"Kurt?"

"Hmm?"

"Shut up and drink your coffee. You'll see why we're up here in a few minutes, okay?"

Kurt huffed a little, but didn't resist when Noah pulled him between his legs and against his chest. It always felt nice when he was reminded just how much bigger than him his boyfriend was. Not in height, obviously. They weren't that different in height. But, Noah was so much bigger than him in girth. And he was ridiculously defined, muscled. Beside the obvious satisfaction that looking at and touching Noah could bring him, it wasn't just that aspect that made Kurt love Noah's body. He loved how safe he felt when Noah wrapped him in his arms. He loved that he knew that Noah knew that he could fight his own battles, but that he would want to fight them for him if it ever came up, especially against the other teenaged boys who wouldn't be able to accept their relationship. Their love. That word made Kurt feel warm inside. Or maybe it was the coffee he was sipping, which was exceptional. He snuggled further back against Noah's chest and was reminded of 'A Walk to Remember.' He'd always loved the movie. It was one of the most romantic things he had ever seen, though he'd only ever admitted it to Mercedes when they were having one of their –what they called- girl's nights. Now settled back against Noah's strength, waiting for something, he couldn't help but feel happy. He'd never thought he'd have a chance like this…someone like this who would do romantic things for him, even if he didn't know what they were. He looked up at Noah's face and the smile that had spread across his face fell. Noah looked…alone and there was something on his face that Kurt couldn't name. There were tears in his eyes.

"Noah?" Kurt asked, tears in his own eyes making it hard to speak, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, babe," Noah turned to him and the expression was gone. Kurt could breathe again, "Hey…Look."

Kurt turned his head and his breath caught once again. He had, of course, noticed that the sky was lightening as he sipped his coffee, but he didn't know how the dawn could have broken in the short minute he had spent looking at Noah. But, it had. The sky was streaked with the colors of the rainbow all centered on the beautiful bright light just peeking over the horizon. The apartment building was the tallest thing in the residential area and their view was obstructed by nothing. He hadn't watched a sunrise that he could remember and watching one now with Noah took his breath away.

"I love you," he whispered as they watched, not wanting to break the moment with loud words.

Puck smiled down at Kurt, glad that they had started the day like this. He hadn't slept at all and had thought about the sunrise at about five. Kurt had been just as bitchy about getting up as he had expected, but it had been cute as hell. Kurt was cute as hell now as he stared out at the sunrise and tried to keep himself from crying. He was cute as hell wrapped in Noah's hoodie, two sizes too big for him and his hair mussed still from bed. Puck pressed a kiss to his hair.

"Forever," he said quietly, under the same spell that Kurt had found himself under.

They watched for another ten minutes before walking back down the stairs hand in hand. They made out a little in their shared shower, but Kurt insisted they didn't have time for more. Not if he was going to look as fabulous as he wanted to for school. Puck had given in with little fight, making them smoothies while Kurt did his hair and ironed the clothes that already looked immaculate to Puck. Kurt had let him drive to school and had tucked himself into Puck's side comfortably as they made their way into the school. It felt natural to push Kurt gently against the lockers after they had both grabbed their books for the morning and spend the time they had remaining before class flirting with the smaller boy, making him laugh and smile and Mercedes roll her eyes at them when they kissed lavishly just as some of the hockey jocks passed just because they could. They had looked carefully looked for cups first, of course, but there had been none. Besides, Kurt had been confident that Noah would step in front of him if it ever came to someone ruining his clothes. Noah liked to be protective like that. As they kissed and the jocks glared Kurt smiled against Noah's mouth. It might be worth Puck getting in a fight just to see him beat one of those homophobic plebeians to a pulp. And of course the gratitude sex he would treat Noah to afterward would be incredible. The only downside to the whole affair would be Noah getting hurt. Better not to think about fighting after all, Kurt thought. He never wanted Noah hurt.

He didn't say anything, though he noticed, when Noah didn't pay any attention in the classes they shared, but instead kept his eyes on Kurt. He kept his arm either around Kurt's shoulder or their fingers linked under the table. Kurt couldn't figure out what was distracting him so and every once in a while he would catch a glimpse of something that looked very like grief on Noah's face from the corner of his eye, like he had that morning. But, by the time he turned completely it was always gone and Noah was giving him that cocky shit-eating grin he loved to give Kurt. But, something was off about it. It wasn't until the third or fourth time it happened that Kurt realized it was because the grin wasn't reaching Noah's eyes. There was something wrong. Kurt knew his instincts had been right. He resolved to talk to Noah about it when they were through with football practice.

"Hey, babe, I'll see you at lunch," Puck said when they were about to part for separate classes. He gave Kurt a distracted kiss and Kurt turned to see who he was looking at. So, that was it. He turned back to Noah, understanding. Quinn was nearly to term now, her belly large and full. She was standing at her locker with Santana, her fingers draped protectively over the child growing within her, a wide, happy smile on her face.

"Don't be too disappointed if she says something you don't want to hear," Kurt warned.

"I…"

Kurt set a finger to his lips before giving him a quick, chaste kiss, "It's okay. I know you need to talk to her. I just don't want to see you upset if she says something you don't like. Good luck. I love you. And I'll see you at lunch."

Puck smiled at Kurt's retreating form, then took a deep, bolstering breath before he approached Quinn's locker.

"Can we talk?" He asked quietly. Santana glared at him, but Quinn just looked as if she had expected this.

"I have a free period now," Quinn said quietly, giving a reassuring look to Santana, who walked off with a huff.

"I can make one," Puck nodded his head, "Choir room?"

"Sure."

They were uncomfortably silent even when they were seated in chairs on the risers, looking at each other, both trying to think of something to say.

"So…" Quinn began, "You're with Kurt."

"Yeah…" He shrugged, "Surprised me, too. He was there when I found out that you and Finn were getting back together. He's been there since."

"Do you love him?" She asked quietly, her hands folded in her lap now.

"I…" He looked down, closed his eyes, then nodded slightly, "I do."

"I'm glad."

His head snapped up at that. Of all people, he had expected Quinn to give his trouble about his relationship with Kurt. She liked Kurt of course. He was one of her friends, but she'd never been forced to actually see his homosexuality in practice. And her parents had been so freaking religious. Not the love-people-as-Jesus-said kind of religious, but the God-hates-everyone-we hate kind of religious. He should have known that that type of thinking wouldn't carry on to Quinn. She was better than them. She was better than him. Still, he looked at her disbelieving.

"You've been kind of lost for a long time, Puck. I wasn't sure you would ever find what you needed to satisfy you. But, I see you with Kurt and you look at him like I've never seen you look at anyone before. You've grown up. And you're so much happier than I've ever seen you. You give me hope that someday I'll find that, too."

"But…" He stuttered, "Y…You and Finn?"

"We haven't actually been together for months." She confessed quietly, "But, he's a good enough guy that he's willing to keep up the pretense for me at least until the baby is born so that people don't think he left because of the baby. It's important to both of us that people know that we broke up because it was something we both wanted. He's the best man I know, but we're just not right for each other. We never have been. We just didn't let ourselves see it."

"Quinn, I…I'm sorry. I never said it. I'm saying it now. I'm sorry I got you drunk that night. I'm sorry I mistake like this. I'm sorry I hurt you so much. I'm sorry for everything."

He couldn't look at her, even as she took his hand and murmured in return, "I'm sorry, too. I'm sorry I asked you to hide it from your best friend. I'm sorry I hurt you. If I remember correctly, Puck, you were drunk that night, too. We both made the mistake, but that's the one thing that I can't be sorry for."

"What?" Puck asked, looking up and seeing the truth and tears in her eyes.

"Because of her," Quinn brought the hand she was holding to her belly and laid his fingers against the life growing inside of her, "She's alive, Noah, because we were together. I've felt her grow inside of me and I love her so much already. If that's not a miracle I don't know what is."

"What…" Puck's voice caught when felt a movement under his hand. Quinn giggled lightly at his wide eyes, "Wow. We made that."

"Yes, we did." Quinn laughed, then sobered a little, "And I want you and Kurt to be part of her life."

"You're keeping her." It was a statement and not a question.

"I am. It's going to be hard, but it's okay. She's worth it. I'd never be able to give her up. She's everything now."

"What…what are you going to name her?" Puck asked, unable to address being in her life and feeling his heart break, but trying not to show it.

"Aria Grace," Quinn answered without hesitation.

"That's beautiful, Quinn. She's going to be beautiful."

"Yes she is." She rubbed her belly gently, "Puck…Finn misses you. I can tell. Are you going to talk to him too?"

"Yeah," He sighed and ran a hand over his Mohawk, "I'm going to try anyway. I'm not sure if he'll listen yet, but I have to try. One of us has to make the first move. Might as well be me."

"You really have grown up," She smiled and stood when the bell rang, "Now, let's go to lunch. I'm starving and our daughter is sitting on my bladder. Puck…" She leaned over and kissed his forehead, "I'm very proud of you."

"Thanks, Quinn."

Kurt beamed at him when he walked into the room with Quinn. He knew what his expression must have looked like and he could see the relief on hers. Finn looked at them both for a only a moment before he looked down again, looking like he wanted to throw up. But he didn't look like he wanted to kill Puck so that was a relief. Puck didn't bother to get food. He'd been increasingly uncomfortable as his time away from Kurt increased and the vision of Kurt tripping and hitting his head on a water fountain ran through his mind again and again. None of the others seemed to notice that he wasn't eating or speaking, just looking at Kurt. He pulled Kurt into his lap as soon as he was finished eating and laid his head against Kurt's back, closing his eyes and simply breathing his scent in. He heard Kurt explain that they'd gotten up to see the sunrise this morning and that seemed to be enough explanation for everyone else. He was amazed when it was Finn who approached him just as lunch ended. They didn't speak, but Puck knew that if he was ever going to talk to Finn at all it was his last chance. So, he just gave Kurt a quick kiss when Finn looked at him, raising an eyebrow in invitation to follow before he walked away, and followed wherever the other boy would lead him.

Where he led him was the locker room. A place he was comfortable, Puck supposed. He knew this wasn't going to be nearly as easy as it was with Quinn when Finn turned around and crossed his arms, looking at Puck as if he was the lowest trash, as he had been for weeks. Puck sighed and felt his shoulders drop in defeat, though he tried to hide it. He raised an eyebrow when all of the sudden Finn's body went relaxed and the boy who had once been his best friend sat on one of the benches, his posture a clear tell of defeat.

"I don't have the energy to hate you anymore, man," Finn said quietly, "Especially with you and Quinn getting along again. I just…don't hurt Kurt, okay? He's a good guy."

"Why would I hurt him?" Puck asked, confused, and so surprised by Finn's words that he really just wasn't getting what Finn was trying to say.

"When you get back with Quinn…"

"Finn, man, I'm not getting back with Quinn."

"You're not?" Finn's head snapped up and the surprise on his face made Puck chuckle a little.

"No, man. Just…no. I'm with Kurt now. I…Fuck, man. I love Kurt, okay?" He realized the words that had come out of his mouth and sat, "Shit. I love him."

"And you didn't love Quinn?"

"No, I didn't. What Quinn and I did…we did it because we were both lonely and drunk. I'd never been able to keep a girl and she felt like you were drifting away. We let ourselves get carried away and you're the one who paid for it. And I haven't said it yet, dude, but I'm sorry. I'm sorry I slept with your girl. Yeah, I was drunk, but I wasn't drunk enough not to know what I was doing. I'm sorry that we kept it secret. And I'm sorry that what I did ruined everything with the best friend I ever had. I'm an asshole, Finn, and you've always known it. But, you never cared about that. You stood by me no matter what and I betrayed you."

"You did betray me," Finn said flatly, "And you are an asshole. It broke my heart, Puck, when I found out the baby wasn't mine. I loved her."

"I know." Puck winced, "You can hit me if again if you want."

"I'm done hitting you," Finn sighed, "I'm done wanting to hit you every time I see you. I told you, dude, I just don't have the energy anymore. Part of the reason I was so angry was because I loved her. The other part was because I was glad that I wasn't going to have to deal with it anymore and it…God, I was relieved. And then I felt ashamed because I was relieved."

"That's natural, Finn."

"That's what everyone told me. I believe them now. I'm glad you're not messing with Kurt. I'm glad you love him. That's…that's cool, man. I just wanted to tell you that I can't hate you anymore. I'm done with that. We're not friends anymore, Puck. You burned me bad, bro. But, maybe someday…"

"Better than I was hoping for," Puck said, and they stood. When Puck held out his hand, Finn shook it as if they had never met. And that was hard, but, like Puck had said, better than he was expecting. More than he had any right to expect. When Finn had left the locker room Puck pulled out his phone and dialed his mom. He hadn't expected her to pick up and was glad when she didn't.

"Hey, this is Rebeka. I'm not in. Leave a message and I'll get back to you."

"Hi, Ma. I just wanted to say that I hope you and Miri are having a great time and I'll see you when you get home. I love you guys."

He sat down again, burying his face in his hands. He'd done everything he had wanted to do today. He'd apologized to both Finn and Quinn for his part in how he had hurt them. It felt unnatural but both of their reactions had been so much more than he had ever hoped for. He imagined for a moment what life would be like if there were any way he…He and Kurt would be living together after college. He didn't know what they'd be doing, but they would love it. Aria would spend the weekends with them. He could see her perfectly. Quinn's perfect features miniaturized on her beautiful little face, pale as Quinn's own. But, her hair and her eyes would be dark like his own. And her attitude would be all Puckerman. She would be his sweet little badass and they would regularly drive Kurt to distraction with their antics. But, he would love them both so much. They would be happy. Burt and his mom and sister and Quinn and her husband, maybe Finn and his wife, would come over for holidays and birthdays. It would be a good life. If only it was meant. He felt the tears leaking hot through his hands.

This was going to devastate Kurt. And it was going to devastate his mother and his sister. But, Kurt would live and his mother and sister would remember him as he had been this past week. Thoughtful and loving. Because that's what people would tell them when they were sitting Shiva for him. He was making the right decision. He knew it. He wished he could have left a better message for them. He wanted to tell his mother that he was sorry he had made life so hard for her and they he was sorry that he had never been the best son, but she was the best mother is the world. He wanted to tell Miri that he was going to miss scaring the boys away when she started to date and to never fall for a guy like him. He wanted to tell her that he loved her and she was the most beautiful girl in the world and to never let herself think any different. He wished he'd gotten to spend more time with Burt. Kurt's dad was one man he would have liked to gain the respect of. He would have liked Burt to shake his hand. Just once.

No use thinking on it anymore. He'd made his choice and it was the right one. He drifted through the rest of his classes, was distracted in football practice. Tanaka didn't say anything this time when he left early with Kurt. Someone halfheartedly threw a "Fags" at them when they held hands on their way back to the school, but they didn't pay any attention to it at all. Puck was too distracted by what was coming and Kurt was too distracted by the way Puck was distracted. They showered in uncomfortable silence and it carried over into their dressing. For once Kurt didn't care about looking immaculate. He was finished before Puck and leaned down, wrapping his arms around him and setting his chin to Puck's hair.

"You okay?" Kurt asked, "Did you have a bad talk with Finn?"

"No, it was better than it should have been," Puck assured him, holding onto his linked hands, "Just gave me a lot to think about. You ready to go?"

"Sure."

They walked toward the front of the school, still holding hands. Kurt was confused when Puck panicked when he said that he needed a drink and insisted that he could wait until they got home. But, Puck looked so fearful that he had decided he didn't need the drink after all. Puck pulled on his hand to stop him when they reached the front door and pulled him into a tight hug.

"Noah…" Kurt whispered, "You're trembling. What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, babe," Noah whispered. He pulled back and looked Kurt in his beautiful eyes, "I…I love you, Kurt."

Kurt's eyes misted and he threw his arms around Noah's neck, "I love you, too, Noah."

"Forever?"

"Forever," Kurt confirmed.

"Good."

He kept Kurt at his side as they walked out of the school and across the parking lot, his shoulders tense and his eyes darting back and forth. For a moment, when they had almost reached Kurt's car, he was almost hopeful that nothing would happen. But, then he saw the car out of the corner of his eye, coming toward them too fast. He pushed Kurt as hard as he could, wincing inwardly at his cry of indignation and pain as his palms opened up on the harsh asphalt. He only had a second to brace himself before he was flying through the air. He hit the ground hard and was confused when there was no pain. He heard the car peeling away, saw the tires burning against the parking lot and rolled his head, looking for Kurt. He felt his heart clench thinking that what he had done might not be enough and they would still go after Kurt. But, the car just drove away. He still couldn't find Kurt, though. He rolled his head again and saw the ladies standing in a line. Crystal nodded at him, Sakura set a hand over her heart, and Aziza blew him a kiss. They were all crying. He knew that they were blocking his pain and he was grateful. He couldn't see himself, but he could feel his body jerking as his nerves struggled to make sense of the overload of sensation his body was processing that he couldn't feel. He could feel the blood seeping from his body into the hard ground. He knew the words he should say, but the only thing he could think about was Kurt.

"Kurt…" he moaned, forcing the word out, "Kurt…"

"Someone call an ambulance!" He heard Schuester call out. He wondered where the teacher had come from.

"Kurt…" he moaned again.

"Baby? Noah?"

Finally, that beautiful voice. Kurt was already crying as he appeared over Noah. He was untouched. It made Noah smile. He reached out a hand, surprised he had the strength to do so, and set it to Kurt's cheek, slightly startled when he realized he'd smeared some of his own blood on Kurt's face by doing so. But, Kurt didn't seem to care about that. He just held Noah's hand to his face and kept speaking to him.

"I'm right here, Noah. Just hold on. I love you so much, Noah. Just hold on for me for a little bit, okay? I know it hurts, baby, but just a little bit."

"Doesn't hurt," Puck whispered. He could feel himself fading. His eyes began to roll back in his head and Kurt suddenly slapped him, the first pain he had felt at all. His eyes snapped open again. He was able to use the slight pain to focus a little.

"Don't you dare leave me, Noah Puckerman! Don't you dare!" Kurt cried out. He lowered Puck's hand, but kept a tight hold on it.

"An ambulance is on the way, guys. Puck, you hold on." Mr. Schuester was suddenly with them. Puck wanted so badly to do as they both wanted, but he was just so tired. All he could think about was the warm comfort of sleep. But, he had to say one more thing first. He turned his attention back to Kurt as he felt his grip on Kurt's hand weakening.

"For…For…" He tried to force out of a mouth full of blood. He coughed and it dribbled warm down his chin.

"Forever!" Kurt sobbed, "I love you forever."

"You have done so well, Noah Puckerman," Aziza's voice was sweet in his ear, "Rest now. He will be safe. Let go, Noah. Let go."

His life for Kurt's, he thought. Fair trade. With a final thought of love for Kurt and his family, did as Aziza said. He let go.

Kurt knew the moment Noah left him. His bright eyes went dull. His chest ceased its struggle to draw in air. Kurt heard a high wailing sound of grief he didn't recognize as coming from himself until Ms. Pillsbury tried to pull him away from Noah, tears streaming down her face. But, he wouldn't let go. He set his forehead to Noah's bloody hands and whispered the only three words in his head and heart.

"Please…come back."

In the distance the ambulance sirens were heard. The football players appeared. Finn bent over and was sick in the grass before he fell to his knees sobbing. And no one could hear Kurt's desperate words as he whispered them.

"Please come back."


	13. Chapter 13

**All previous disclaimers apply.**

**Author's Note: Hopeful, rather than happy, ending and epilogue. I hope you enjoy it! Once again OOC, but what else is new? Let me know what you think if you have a moment. Happy ending will be up in a few days! Thank so much! T.H.**

Noah's funeral was held on Sunday. Kurt didn't go. He'd planned to, but when Sunday morning rolled around he couldn't find the strength to get out of the bed. He tried. He made it all the way to the bathroom and into the shower before his knees gave out and he fell to the floor of his tub, unable to find the further strength to move. He just laid there, tears leaking slowly out of his eyes and mixing with the shower water. He laid there, the water growing cold around him until his father found him. Without a care for his suit he wrapped his son in a towel and carried him to the bed. He dried Kurt off gently, brushed his hair so that it wouldn't knot, then bundled him into his robe and tucked him into his bed, pulling the blankets up to his chin and tucking them under his shoulders. Kurt just stared straight ahead the entire time, not really seeing him, but he didn't worry about it. He had been the exact same way when Connie died. The only way he'd gotten to the funeral was because his sister had dressed him and led him by the hand. He didn't remember it anyway, and didn't think Kurt would if he forced him to go to Noah's. Better that he could tell Kurt about it later –much later when he felt ready to ask- than to worry about him the entire time they were there. Better that he would be available for Noah's mother to lean on his strength. He got a glass of water and a couple of aspirin, set them on Kurt's beside table and leaned down to kiss his son's forehead.

"I'm going now, son," He whispered gently, "I have my phone and it'll be on vibrate the entire time. You call me if you need anything. I'll be back soon."

Kurt just rolled over. Burt didn't take it personally.

"I love you, son."

Kurt barely heard his father leave. He thought that perhaps he slept, but he wasn't quite sure. It didn't feel like he was dreaming when he relived watching Noah's body tossed in the air by a car as if he weighed no more than a rag doll. Had it really only been that morning that he had marveled over how much stronger than him Noah was? When Noah had been on the ground, his life pouring out around him, he had seemed so small, so childlike. He didn't remember a lot from the accident and beyond. Just a few impressions. Noah's body flying through the air. How weak Noah's grip had been when he tried to squeeze Kurt's hand. Noah's eyes when Kurt had uttered the words "I love you forever." They told him that he had stayed with Noah in the ambulance on the way to the hospital, that he had stayed with Noah even when they had taken him down to the morgue. He didn't really remember reading up on Jewish customs, though he knew he had when he had first started 'seeing' Noah. The only thing that had been able to penetrate his mind that day had been that Noah would be buried in the clothes he had worn when he died, because of the blood on them. And Noah could not be alone until he was buried. Someone needed to say prayers every hour. He didn't know the prayers and he didn't know anyone else Jewish but Rachel. He'd thought that maybe her dad could help him and had called her, though he didn't remember the conversation. Because everything had to be right for Noah. It was the last thing Kurt could do for him.

"Kurt?" Rachel had come in with her dad holding her hand. At least, he thought she had. She had taken his hand and led him toward the door of the morgue, away from Noah.

"He has to be buried in those clothes," Kurt had murmured, "Don't let them destroy them when the police look at him. The paramedics said they would have to look at him. Don't let them do anything that his mom wouldn't like. Don't let them hurt him."

"No one's going to hurt him, Kurt. It'll be okay. Just come with me now. My dad will take care of everything. I promise. He won't let them do anything his mom wouldn't like. Come on."

Kurt had followed her. His dad came to get him. He'd taken him home and sat him on the edge of his tub. It wasn't until his father was rubbing the warm, wet washcloth over his cheek and it came away pink that it hit him what had happened. Noah was gone. And he wasn't coming back. Kurt had fallen into his father's arms making a noise that he could only describe as a scream. Burt had just held him until he was too weak to make a move or a noise any longer. Then he had finished cleaning him up and put him to bed. He thought he had perhaps slept all of Saturday because he couldn't remember anything about it at all. There was a vague memory of a scent that might have belonged to Mercedes, but he couldn't remember if she had actually been there or not.

He knew that she was there when he came back to himself because she was wrapped around him, holding him to her chest, singing to him quietly. He put his arms around her and held on. He realized he'd been crying in his sleep, which was why she'd gotten on the bed with him and held him. He could feel the tears cooling on his cheeks. So, he let her hold him and he let himself feel the slightest comfort as she did so. She was all in black. She had come from Noah's funeral.

"How was it?" He asked quietly after a time.

"It was hard," she told him quietly, "His mother and his sister…"

"I should have been there."

"Everyone understood why you couldn't be. She asked me to tell you thank you, for making sure there was someone there with him. She said it was important. She asked for you to come visit whenever you feel up to it."

He nodded and let himself fall asleep in her arms.

When he woke again Mercedes was gone and he had no way of knowing how long he had been sleeping. He didn't even know what time or what day it was. He looked at his phone. Monday. Eleven in the morning. His father should be at work. So, why did he hear him puttering about upstairs? He was probably there to make sure that Kurt was going to be alright. He always took care of him. And now they just had one more thing in common. Suddenly he needed to be with his father. He needed his dad to hold him. He needed his strength. Kurt managed to drag himself to his bathroom despite the fact that his head felt like it was three times its normal size and his body protested ever single move he made. He looked at himself in the mirror, frowned slightly at the hollow look in his eyes and the bags under them. Hadn't he been sleeping for days? He stepped into the shower and washed as quickly as his body would allow before stepping out. Towel drying himself exhausted him, but he didn't allow himself to get back into the bed. Instead be put on some loose sweatpants he used for lounging and cleaning. He considered his shirts before he remembered the shirt that Noah had left once. He dug it out of the bottom of his dresser and slipped it over his head. It didn't smell of Noah anymore. He'd washed it after Noah had left it. But, it made him feel better to have something of Noah's wrapped around him. He walked up the stairs slowly and found his father seated in his favorite chair not really watching whatever was on the television.

"Hey, kiddo," He said as soon as he saw Kurt. He turned off the television and put down the footrest, "How are you feeling, son?"

"I'm okay right now," Kurt answered quietly, "I don't know…"

"Five minutes from now could be a whole other story. I know, Kurt, I know. Trust me, bud. How about something to eat? You haven't eaten in a couple of days. You must feel weak as a kitten."

"Sure," Kurt said quietly. He watched as his dad threw together an egg white omelet with spinach for him. It almost made him smile that his dad remembered his biggest comfort food. Almost. His eyes filled with tears from out of nowhere, but he managed to get the omelet down anyway. He knew that he had to eat. He at it all and drank his glass of orange juice under his fathers watchful eye. When they went back into the living room he waited until his dad had settled back into his chair and just stood looking.

"Do you want to talk, Kurt?" Burt asked quietly.

"Please," Kurt whispered.

"Then, come here, son," Burt opened his arms and Kurt hurled himself toward his father. He settled himself on his lap and tucked his head under his father's strong chin. Burt rubbed his back slowly and put up the footrest so that they were both comfortable. When Kurt began to sob Burt began to speak again, "Aw, Kurt. I never wanted this to happen to you, son. I know what it's like and it's the worst pain you'll ever feel. I wish I could take it away. You have no idea how much I wish I could take it away."

"It's not fair, Dad!" Kurt sobbed, holding tight to his father. Burt wrapped him more securely in his arms.

"I know, son, I know."

"I loved him so much! Why would someone do something like…why did they have to take him away? We weren't doing anything wrong! We were just in love!"

"People are hurtful, Kurt. And people are stupid. All I know is you and Noah didn't do anything but refuse to be who you are. You were both in the right, son. It's the people who did this that were wrong. And they're going to get caught, son. You have believe that."

"It should have been me!" Kurt forced around his sobs, "He pushed me out of the way! And I was so angry! I thought that he was just playing around, but my hands were all scratched up and I was going to yell at him, but I turned and he was…flying through the air and he hit the ground so hard and he never got up again and I just…It should have been me!"

"No, Kurt!" Burt took his son's chin in his fingers and tilted his face so that he could look in his son's face, "Son, if there's one thing I know it's that Noah saved two lives when he pushed you out of the way of that car. If you were gone, son, do you think that I would have any reason to live? Noah didn't just save you, son. He saved me, too. And I like to think that he knew it."

"You hated him, Dad!" Kurt sobbed and buried his face again.

"I didn't hate him, Kurt. I hated that I was losing you when I thought we were just starting to connect. The way you looked at him…I knew it was the same thing that I had with your mom. It was love. It's hard for a parent to see it when they still think their kid's a baby. But, I didn't hate Noah, Kurt. I think that if we'd had more time together I might have even liked him. Hell, I like him now. He gave his life for you. How could I not like him? We're never going to forget him, Kurt. And you're going to honor him every day you live. And…here's the main thing, son, you're never going to stop loving him. He's never really gone if you never stop loving him."

"I miss him, Dad! I want him back!'

Burt rocked Kurt gently as his son sobbed, trying to hold his own tears in. It was the worst kind of hell, having your child in so much pain that you couldn't take away. Burt knew from experience that the only thing he could do was be there for Kurt and in the end it would be the best thing for him, but, Jesus, it hurt that he couldn't do more. He simply kept rocking and shushing, rubbing Kurt's back and fighting back his own tears.

"I know, son," he repeated the words he would say again and again in the next few months, "I know."

Nearly a week later Kurt stood in front of Noah's apartment door, his hand raised to knock and unable to do it. He'd been standing there for nearly an hour trying to work up the courage to knock, praying that someone would take the matter out of his hands. A moment later somebody did when the door opened to reveal Rebeka Puckerman, looking at him with tear filled and understanding eyes.

"Everyone in this building knows everyone else pretty well," She said quietly, "Mrs. Guttenberg across the hall called to tell me that a young man has been standing outside my door for a couple of hours looking like he wants to talk to me."

"It's only been about an hour, actually," Kurt blushed and ran a hand through his hair, "Hi, Ms. Puckerman, I'm…"

"Kurt," Rebeka said quietly, "I know. Please, sweetheart, come in. Would you like something to drink?"

"I'm fine, thank you," Kurt said quietly.

"Sit down, please, sweetie. You weren't at the funeral. I never really got to thank you for what you did for Noah. It's very important, in the Jewish tradition, that the body of a loved one is not left alone from the time they die until they are buried. And getting Mr. Berry in there to say the prayers…It meant a lot, sweetheart."

"You're welcome," Kurt said softly, "I…Ms. Puckerman…"

"Please call me Rebeka, Kurt."

"Rebeka…I'm so sorry I wasn't at the funeral. I should have been there. I…" Kurt sniffled a little and looked down when his eyes filled with tears yet again. He'd been crying for days. He hadn't gone back to school yet. Coming to Noah's apartment was the first time he had even been out of his house. He'd tried to steel himself so that he wouldn't break down in front of Rebeka. She had enough on her shoulders. Kurt had lost Noah, but so had she. She had lost her son. She didn't need to deal with his pain as well as hers.

"Kurt, it's okay, sweetheart," Rebeka reached over and set a hand over his, gripping his knee, "We can go to the cemetery any time to see him. Together, if you like, if you feel like you don't want to go alone. It's a beautiful plot. It…overlooks a pond."

"He would have liked that," Kurt murmured, "He loved…" He choked on the tears he was holding back.

"Oh, Kurt. It's okay, sweetheart. I…I miss him, too."

Kurt looked up to see her looking at a picture she had set on the coffee table, tears pouring down her face.

"I…told him, when he came out to me, that I wasn't ready to meet you yet. And I am so sorry. I wish I could have seen the two of you together. He had so much love for you, Kurt. It was in his eyes and in his voice. You…Kurt, I've talked to so many people, Quinn, Finn, your teachers, everyone and they've all said that you…He said he loved me and Miri for one of the first times in three years the day he died. The only other time I'd heard it from him since middle school was the day he came out. You were the best thing that happened in his life. You brought my boy back to life. I just wish there had been more time for him to show us all what he could have been." She covered her mouth with her hand and began to sob quietly.

"He loved you and Miri so much," Kurt said quietly, "He would never admit it, but he loved to talk about you. He wanted to make you as proud of him as he was of Miri."

"Kurt…" Rebeka reached out for him. Kurt didn't try to hold in his sob and fell to his knees, throwing his arms around her waist. She bent over him, stroking his hair.

"I'm sorry!" He sobbed.

"No," She cried, "It wasn't your fault."

"I loved him so much!"

"I know. He loved you, too."

When they had finally calmed they were able to smile at each other softly. Rebeka wiped the remainder of Kurt's tears from his face and he tucked her hair back into the loose braid that she had it in. They both laughed a little at their antics. It was brittle, and not real, but it felt good that they at least attempted it. She led him to Noah's room and told him to take anything of Noah's that he wanted. He asked her if there was anything that she would particularly not like him to take and she simply kissed his forehead and told him that she had a lifetime of memories of her baby. He could take whatever made him feel good. Kurt sat on Noah's bed for a long time, simply looking about the room, but no one came to bother him. When he finally left the room he was carrying Noah's guitar and the hoodie Noah had pulled over his head when they had watched the sunrise. Rebeka met him at the door with Noah's leather jacket and a framed picture of Noah looking over his shoulder and smiling.

"I want you to have these, too," She murmured, "He would want you to have them. Please…" She pulled him into a hug, "Don't be a stranger, Kurt. Please. You were the last one to see him. I need to have you around. I want you to be around."

"I want to be around, too." Kurt said, and surprised himself with how much he meant it, "I want to be here for you and Miri. Maybe I can take her to the park this weekend. The one you used to take her and…Noah to after their dad…Maybe we could all go together."

"I think we'd all like that." They both pulled away with tears in their eyes and knew that they meant every word.


	14. Chapter 14

**All previous disclaimers apply.**

**Author's note: Epilogue to hopeful ending. Hope you like it!**

"I hate Lima," Kurt muttered into his phone as he unpacked his suitcase, hanging the clothes that needed it in the closet of the room he had long since abandoned, "I should be at home in my beautiful, big apartment designing my spring line and instead I'm here in fucking Lima, Ohio. Tell me again, Mercedes, just why I came back."

"Quit tripping, boy," He could hear her eyes rolling over the phone, "You're visiting Lima because you haven't been back in four years and you promised your Dad and Carole that you would come home for Christmas this year. It's a week, Kurt, it isn't going to kill you. Plus, you've been saying for months that you've been meaning to get back to see Rebeka and Miri's home from school for the holidays. There are still a lot of people in Lima who love you and who you love. So, take off the bitch face and be that fabulous, charming, grown man I know is in you somewhere."

"I hate you," Kurt muttered.

"No, you don't," Mercedes said cheerfully, "So…when is Lance flying in?"

"He's not," Kurt said with a sigh, "I told him not to bother. I really don't want to disrupt Rebeka and Miri and my dad with someone who might not even be around for the long haul. Not to mention Quinn and Ari."

"Kurt, you know I love you," Mercedes sigh was obvious and full of disdain, "But, how long are you going to use that bull-shit excuse?"

"What?" He looked at his phone incredulously before he realized that she couldn't see him.

"Take that look off of your face," She hissed. (He almost smiled.) "You know exactly what I'm talking about! You've been dating Lance for how long? You've been living with Lance for how long?"

Four years and two years respectively, Kurt thought, but kept his mouth shut.

"How the hell can you say that Lance isn't in it for the long haul? You've vacationed with his family, Kurt and he's never even met any single person important to you!"

"He's met you!" Kurt shouted back, matching her tone.

"Yeah, I'm the only one! How long do you think that Lance is going to stay around if you don't stop with this bull? You treat him like you're ashamed of him! Never taking him to meet your family! Lance is the one who should be questioning whether you're in it for the long haul! He's a good guy, Kurt! And you have to stop making him second to Noah! He's been dead for ten years! And you need to move on!" She went silent for a second, just long enough for both of them to feel the pain that never really went away, "I'm sorry, Kurt. That was out of line."

"Yeah, it was." He whispered.

"Look…" Her voice was resigned, "We're both tired and we're both cranky. Just…call me when you get up in the morning, okay?"

"Yeah," Kurt let his head fall back and closed the suitcase before mentally saying 'Fuck it," and pushing it to the floor. It hit with a satisfying clatter before he concentrated on his conversation with Mercedes again, "I'll talk to you in the morning."

"I love you, Kurt."

"Love you, too, 'Cedes. Have a good night. Tell Lucas hi for me."

He sighed as he hung up the phone and rubbed the back of his neck. It was always hard to be back in this town, back in this house, back in this room. But, Mercedes hadn't been laughing. He'd been promising his dad he'd come home for the holidays for years. His dad and Carole had come to New York every year that Kurt hadn't been able to make it out to Ohio, and that was a big sacrifice for his father, who hated the city with as much passion as Kurt loved it with. So, it was only fair that he come out. And he hadn't seen Rebeka for years, though they talked on the phone for hours at least once a week. Miri had come out and spent her spring break with him and they had had a blast, but he'd been feeling guilty since she had mentioned that 'Mama' really missed him. That was months of guilt eating on him. He was glad to see those he loved in the place they were the most comfortable, but still…Mercedes was right. He was tired and he was cranky. Travel always did that to him. He abbreviated his skin care routine because he just didn't have the energy to deal with it in its entirety, slipped into his pajamas, (He noticed that they were a pair that Lance had bought him, he noticed with a wince.) and got into bed. It didn't take him long to relax into sleep.

He knew it was a dream from the moment he opened his eyes because he was in the room he'd had in high school. Granted, his father hadn't changed much if anything –he'd noticed when he came downstairs that night to unpack and settle in- but there were little things that told him that this was definitely his room ten years in the past. Noah's guitar wasn't propped up in the corner. Noah's picture wasn't on his bedside table. He'd taken the framed "Gypsy" poster with him to college. The frame had gotten broken and the poster ruined accidently in the move from the dorm his Freshman year. What was more was that the body spooning him tightly as they slept was very familiar and one he hadn't felt in years. It was bigger than the one he was used to now and the arm draped across his stomach was heaver. Whoever was spooning him was decidedly not Lance. Lance wasn't big and Lance didn't smell like a comforting mix of leather, Ivory soap, and something that was uniquely…

"Noah," He breathed out on a soft cry, trying to keep the tears in his eyes from falling.

"Yeah, babe, I'm right here." The voice he hadn't heard, but had wanted to hear, for years made the sobs escape as he rolled over to look at his lover. His love. Noah looked just as he had before his death, just as he had their last night together. He was smiling down at Kurt gently and Kurt knew again that this was only a dream because in life Noah had never, ever looked so utterly content and at peace with himself. He looked so beautiful. Kurt lost his composure and leaned his face into Noah's chest before releasing a wail that he hadn't even known had been building inside of him. Noah simply held him as he sobbed, shushing him gently, his chin resting lightly on Kurt's hair as Kurt clung and released all of ten years without Noah that he'd been holding in. When he was finally done his nose was swollen and snotty and his eyes felt dry and tired.

"Ugh," he murmured, "If this is just a dream why can't I look and feel fabulous after an emotional purge?"

Noah began to laugh heartily and it was such a relief to hear after so long that Kurt couldn't help but lean into him again and simply bask in the warmth and life of the sound. He laid his head against Noah's chest and reveled in the strong heartbeat against his cheek.

"Fuck, Hummel," Noah murmured softly when he had stopped laughing.

"The mouth on me," Kurt finished.

"You know, it's not exactly a dream, babe. More like a living memory. It's hard to explain. The ladies and I thought you might need this right now. You're floundering a little bit, Kurt."

"I know," Kurt buried his face in Noah's chest again.

"Lance wants to love you so bad, babe. Why won't you let him?"

"Noah…" Kurt whispered, "I love _you_."

"And I love you, babe," Noah took Kurt's chin in his hand and tilted his face up to look at him, "But, Kurt, I'm dead."

Kurt flinched and tried to look away, but Noah wouldn't let him so he closed his eyes instead, surprised when he had enough moisture in his body to cry when the tears slipped out from behind his eyelids.

"Babe…Kurt…look at me."

Kurt shook his head. He knew it was childish, but he couldn't help it.

"Babe," Noah whispered, "We don't have a lot of time together tonight. Do you really want to spend it with me trying to convince you to look at me?"

"No!" Kurt's gasped, his eyes flew open, and he hugged Noah to him desperately, "You can't leave me again."

"I can't stay," Noah said quietly, "Kurt, you know how much I hate to be cliché, but…I never really left you. I never really will. That's why I'm here tonight. I gave my life so that you could live. Not so that you mourn me for the rest of yours. I don't want that for you. I want you to be happy. And Lance can make you happy. You know he can."

"Noah…"

"And don't start with that 'betraying my memory' crap. It's bullshit. Just because you let yourself love Lance does not mean that you loved me any less when we were together and it doesn't mean that you don't love me now. It just means that you're giving yourself permission to be happy again. I've already given you mine. Why can't you do the same for yourself? I loved you enough to die for you, Kurt. Can you love me enough to live for me?"

Noah pulled him close and held him as he began to cry again. It was hard to let go, he knew. But, he had a feeling Kurt would finally be able to let him rest in peace now. Maybe he should have done this years ago.

"I love you, Noah," Kurt whispered against his neck, "I've missed you so much."

"Missed you, too, babe." Noah kissed his hair.

"Noah?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm never going to see you again, am I?"

"No, babe, you're not. But, you're going to be so busy you won't even think about me, promise. What with you and Lance adopting the twins and all."

"Twins?" Kurt asked, his eyes wide with wonder.

"Yep. Little girls. They're going to be the light of your guys' lives. But, don't tell Lance. I wasn't supposed to tell you in the first place. I can't tell you when they'll come along, but it'll be soon. Why don't you go to sleep now, babe? Dream of your girls."

Kurt tucked his head under Noah's chin once more and closed his eyes, feeling an overwhelming need to sleep all of the sudden. "Goodbye, Noah," he whispered.

"Goodbye, Kurt." Noah kissed him one more time, then slipped him onto his pillow gently.

"Are you ready to go?" Crystal asked quietly.

"Yeah. Time to go," Noah answered.

"You know, you weren't supposed to tell him about the twins, Noah."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Noah nudged Crystal with his shoulder, "Like you guys never broke the rules." They both laughed and then They were gone.

Kurt came awake again suddenly. It was still the middle of the night. His room was exactly as it shoulder be. He could still feel Noah's arms around him. He hugged himself and smiled. Somehow…he felt light, free of the grief he had carried for so long, and ready to take on his life for the first time since Noah died. Was it really that easy? He asked himself. Was it as easy as being able to say goodbye and having Noah give him permission to move on? Yes, he reasoned. It was. It was that easy because he really was in love with Lance and it had been ten years. Mercedes was right. It was time. He had just needed Noah to tell him it was okay. And Noah had come to him.

"Forever." He murmured and could almost hear Noah answer. He smiled and picked up his phone.

"Hello?" Lance's smooth baritone, fogged with sleep, was a welcome sound, "Kurt? Honey, what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," Kurt said happily. "I love you, Lance."

"I love you, too, honey," Lance sounded a little shocked, but mostly happy, "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm great. Do you still have your ticket?"

"Of course."

"Lance…I would really like it if you came to Lima and spent Christmas with me and my family."

"That sounds great, honey. I'll be there tomorrow night."

"I'll pick you up at the airport. I'll let you get back to sleep now. Love you, Lance."

"Love you, too, Kurt."

Kurt hung up the phone. Kissed his fingertips and pressed them to Noah's picture before he opened the drawer of the night stand and put it inside. He closed the drawer with a smile.

"Goodbye, Noah," He whispered, "I'll love you forever."

He fell asleep with a smile on his face.


	15. Chapter 13 Happy Ending

**All previous disclaimers apply.**

**Author's Note: So sorry this took so long! It's been such a great ride! Thank you so much for staying with this for so long! Hope you like the happy ending! I'm not sure which I like more! Though I may do a sequel based on all of the events between the last chapter and the epilogue if there's enough interest! Let me know! Happy Reading! T.H.**

The first thing he was aware of as he came slowly back to himself was that he was thirsty. There was an annoying tickle at the back of his throat that begged for a drink, just a sip, of water. It was this simple annoyance that pushed him out of the fog that was covering his mind and into full awareness. With awareness came feeling and with feeling came the desperate wish to be lost in the fog again. He hurt everywhere. The pain pulsed behind his eyes like a beacon. He tried to push himself back into the fog, but couldn't. He felt like sobbing, but didn't have the energy. He didn't even have the strength to feel ashamed when he felt the hot tears streaking out of his tightly closed eyes. He tried for a manly moan, hoping that someone was around who would be able to help, and wasn't surprised when it came out as a whimper instead. The first thing he felt that wasn't pain was the tightening of a hand on his. He tried to grip the hand and whimpered again when expelling the energy to try caused more pain to shoot through his wrist and up his arm.

"Noah?" The sweetest voice in the world was next to his ear, "Noah, baby…are you awake?"

"Kurt…" He managed to whisper, "It…It hurts."

"Okay…okay, baby. I'm going to go get a nurse."

"No!" He wanted his voice to be stronger than it was and kept his fingers wrapped around Kurt's, "Don't go…"

"Alright, Noah," Kurt's voice was soft and gentle. He felt blessedly cool lips against his forehead, then Kurt's hand stroking down his hair lightly, "Alright. I won't go anywhere. I'll just page for a nurse. I'm right here, Noah, I promise."

He didn't know how long Kurt murmured assurances as he stroked his hair before he heard the door open, but it felt like forever as the pain ripped through him. He fought to keep himself quiet, but the whimpers escaped despite his best efforts. Kurt just kept stroking his hair and kissing his forehead until some else came into the room.

"He's awake," Kurt said quietly to the someone Noah couldn't see, "And in a lot of pain. Can you do anything for him?"

"The doctor's going to want to check him out first. Then we'll get him on some good stuff. Welcome back, Noah." The nurse set a hand to his forehead before moving it to take his wrist and check his pulse, "Kurt's told us all a lot about you. We've been looking forward to meeting you. You just hold on a little longer. The doctor's on his way."

It felt like an eternity as he listened to the rise and fall of the voices around him. First Kurt and the nurse, then Kurt, the nurse, and the doctor, then finally just Kurt. His voice was concerned, Puck could hear it and hated himself for making Kurt worry, but it was also reassuring and soothing. The hand that stroked the back of his was light and real, the only thing on his body that didn't hurt. The pain began to ease slowly, but with it came an overwhelming pull back into the fog. Now that he knew Kurt had been waiting for him, he tried his hardest to stay awake for him, but eventually the pull was just too strong and he fell into the black, Kurt's sweet words of comfort and love following him.

When he woke again he was floating pleasantly. But, he figured that the nurse hadn't lied and they really had given him the good stuff when he realized that he could order his thoughts above the fog. After careful experimentation he opened his eyes slowly and was glad for the near dark in the room. There were long shadows stretching across the walls and the ceiling. The sun was going down. Not his favorite time of day. He carefully turned his head and smiled when he saw the three beautiful women standing at the foot of his bed. They were all smiling at him gently. Crystal reached out and tapped his toe. He was surprised when it didn't hurt and he knew that they were, again, blocking his pain and he was grateful.

"I…I thought I was supposed to die…" He said uncertainly, "I was ready to die for him."

"And you did, Noah," Aziza rubbed his ankle gently.

"For exactly two minutes and seven seconds," Sakura giggled, "The paramedics were very good. And with a little bit of divine intervention…"

"Oh, come on, kid," Crystal rolled her eyes, "You didn't really think that we'd let you die after what you went through with him, did you?"

"Honestly…" He smiled when they all moved to sit on his bed with him, Sakura on one side, Aziza on the other, Crystal at his feet, her hand on his ankle, "Yeah…I kind of did."

"We couldn't just tell you," Aziza curled up next to him and laid her hand over his heart, "You had to decide for yourself. And you made the right decision. Our…we'll call them our bosses…allowed us to get away with it because even they know that there's no force stronger than Love."

"I thought you said Death was the strongest force on earth." He raised an eyebrow.

"And sometimes it is," Sakura stroked his hair, "But, for you and Kurt Love is stronger. Isn't that wonderful?"

Crystal and Noah rolled their eyes at the same time, making all four of them burst into laughter. It was relieved on all of their parts and they loved just how good it felt.

"What're the odds of getting you to keep the pain away for, like, ever?" Puck asked when they calmed.

"Ha! Nice try, kid," Crystal tapped his toe again, "A little suffering's good for the soul. We've got to get going." Sakura and Aziza groaned and snuggled closer, "No, we do! We have to get back to work. But, we'll check in on you from time to time. We love you, Noah Puckerman."

"Yes we do," Sakura kissed his forehead and stood.

"Take care of each other. Love each other. You have the chance now," Aziza surprised him by kissing him lightly, chastely, and standing to join her sisters.

"Ladies…" Puck looked down, "Thank you."

"No thanks are needed, Noah," All three whispered. When he looked up, They were gone. And he was in pain again. At least it wasn't unbearable this time. He still felt a little loopy, as if he was on too many pain meds. Oh, wait. He smiled a little. He was on too many pain meds. He realized the shadows hadn't moved since he woke up and smiled wider. His smiled softened and he relaxed against his pillow as he turned his head and saw Kurt sleeping, slumped over in a chair, his head on the bed by Noah's thigh. For the first time Noah felt Kurt's hand wrapped loosely around his wrist. He tried to pull away to rub a hand over Kurt's hair, wanting to see if he could muss it a little, but Kurt was awake, and blinking at him sleepily, before he could move more than a centimeter.

"Noah?" Kurt whispered.

"Kurt…" Noah didn't recognize his own voice, weak and unused.

Kurt stood slowly, never taking his eyes from Noah's, set his hand to Noah's cheek gently, then leaned down and kissed his forehead. He was confused and blinked in surprise when he felt Kurt's tears falling onto his forehead.

"Babe, what's wrong?" He was surprised at just how hard it was to keep speaking. His throat was so dry. It hurt. He swallowed hard. Kurt seemed to notice. With a little noise of sympathy from the back of his throat he poured a small cup of water from the pitcher next to the bed and put a straw in it before putting his hand behind Noah's head and lifting gently. He set the straw to Noah's lips and kept crying silently as Noah took a couple of pulls of water before his strength deserted him again. Kurt put the cup back down on the table, then sat again and took Noah's hand in his. He lifted it and pressed a kiss to the battered knuckles.

"You're such an idiot, Noah…" Kurt said quietly, tears still streaming down his face.

"Maybe," Noah could feel himself going under again. He knew that it was going to get old really fast, going in and out of consciousness like this, but he just couldn't help how tired he was, how weak he felt.

"Thank you," Kurt leaned over and kissed him gently, "I love you."

"I love you, too," He tried to tighten his fingers on Kurt's hand and was surprised and a little bit disgusted when he could barely managed to squeeze at all. He wondered idly just how badly he was hurt.

"Forever?" Kurt asked quietly.

"Forever," Noah confirmed with a small smile.

"Good. Sleep, Noah. I'll be here when you wake up again. Promise."

The next time he woke, Kurt and his mother were sitting with him. Kurt quietly excused himself to get coffee while his mother sobbed over him, telling him how much she loved him, how stupid he was. He felt a little guilty when she sobbed that she didn't know what she would have done if she'd lost him. But, she understood when he told her that he hadn't thought when he had seen the car. He had just pushed Kurt out of the way. He was glad when she assumed that he wouldn't have had the time to move out of the way himself. He wondered if he'd have had the time if he'd tried. Because, of course, he hadn't even tried. He'd thought he would die for Kurt. He'd thought it was the only way. He thought that it was better not to tell his mother that. But, she didn't ask and he was grateful. She simply kissed his forehead, stroked his hair, and told him how much she loved him. He felt the tears warm on his own face as he told her he loved her too and promised that nothing like getting hit by a car would ever happen again. He asked her to tell him straight how badly he was hurt. That set her off again when she told him that he'd been in a coma for three days. Everyone had been devastated when the doctors told them that his chances weren't good, but none more so that Kurt. He'd stayed at Noah's side without moving until the afternoon he had woken. Noah felt guilty again and barely managed to speak around the emotion in his throat.

"And now?" He asked quietly.

"Now…Baby…"

"Ma, please."

She sighed and nodded, realizing that there was no way to escape telling him for long.

"You're going to be okay, Noah. Your right wrist is broken along with a couple of your ribs. There was a lot of internal damage and the doctors had to remove part of your liver, but they say that it'll heal with time. Your left leg was shattered by the car, Noah, and your hip was broken so badly that they thought it was better just to replace it. You'll be able to walk again, but you might have to use a cane. Even if you get strong enough to walk without the cane, you'll have a limp for the rest of your life. I'm so sorry, baby."

He told her that everything was okay, that he was okay. She looked at him like she didn't believe him and seemed to understand when he said he was tired and thought he would fall asleep soon. She kissed him once more and said she would send Kurt in. When she was gone he let the grief take him. He managed to keep the sob in his chest, but couldn't help the tears that slipped from his tightly closed eyes. A limp and an artificial hip meant that there was now no chance of playing football anymore. That meant that there was no chance of getting a football scholarship and that meant that there was no way he was getting out of this stupid town with Kurt. Kurt was so beautiful and so talented and he was really going places. Why would he want to stick around with Noah?

"Because I love you, you idiot."

Noah's eyes snapped open when he heard Kurt's voice. Kurt was standing in the doorway, his eyebrow arched, tears in his eyes, and his arms crossed. Noah realized he'd been speaking out loud.

"Kurt, I…"

"You're going to go to school, Noah. We'll work on your grades together all of next year. If we have to I'll defer school for a year while we take some classes at the community college so that you can get good enough grades to transfer with me then that's what we'll do. I almost lost you. Do you really think I'm going anywhere without you?"

"Kurt…"

"Before you can say it, Noah, I am not giving up my dreams. I'm simply going to put them on hold for a little while. You can do that when it's because of something as important as love. And I won't have any arguments. Understood?"

Noah nodded, knowing that there was no speaking with Kurt when he was like this. Kurt smiled softly and moved to the bed. Noah knew there must have been something in his eyes that begged for Kurt's touch because Kurt climbed carefully onto the bed with him. He was so slight that Noah didn't even have to move to give Kurt room. Kurt simply laid his head on the pillow next to Noah's and wrapped a hand around his arm, not wanting to chance hurting him. Noah looked into his eyes and smiled.

"I'm going to fall asleep now," He murmured.

"Okay," Kurt whispered in return.

"Kiss me first?"

And Kurt smiled, "Okay." The kiss was gentle and sweet. Noah fell asleep again with the feeling of it still on his lips.

When Noah woke again Miri was doing homework at his bedside. He was only able to stay awake long enough to kiss her and tell her he loved her before he fell asleep again. He vaguely remembered waking up to all of his friends struggling to be quiet as they decorated the room that he was going to be in for the next few weeks. The girls kissed him. The guys shook his hand or patted his shoulder gently. Finn actually gripped his shoulder for a good fifteen seconds. Noah counted it as a win. Mercedes thanked him. He felt good inside. He was annoyed when he felt himself falling again.

When he next surfaced there was only Artie in the room and everything else was so quiet that he had the feeling that the ladies had something to do with it. The fact that he was feeling bright and there was no pain convinced him that it was because of Them. Artie was looking at him with something akin to confusion on his face.

"Why didn't you tell me what was going on, Puck?" He asked quietly, "You didn't say a word. You didn't…I…God, when I heard you were hit by the car instead of Kurt every little cryptic thing They said made sense, but…I thought that we had gotten close enough that you would have said something at least."

"Couldn't." Puck muttered, his voice as quiet as Artie's, "Abrams, you were there for me when no one else could be. You're a good guy. The last thing I wanted to do was give you a reason to by angry with Them. You love Them and They love you. And…if you knew you might have tried to talk me out of it. I was scared enough, I might have let you. Then, I would have only killed myself later."

Artie flinched at the last statement, but knew it was the truth and decided not to comment. Instead, he murmured, "You were scared?"

"Terrified," Puck admitted freely. Hell, he'd cried in front of this guy. Wasn't much else he could do to put his badassness in question, "All fucking day. But, then I would look at him and the only thing I could think was that it was better me than him."

"Best that it was neither of you," Artie murmured.

"You might be right there." Noah laughed, then drew in his breath sharply when his ribs pulled. Obviously the ladies thought that everything that needed to be said had been said and were pulling their influence, "Hey, Artie?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks. For…for everything."

Artie lowered his eyes and patted Noah's shoulder. He came to the realization that the ladies had pulled their influence as well when Noah winced and pulled his breath in though clenched teeth.

"You want me to ring for a nurse?" Artie asked. Noah was asleep again before he could answer.

It went that way for nearly three days. Puck couldn't stay awake longer than ten minutes at a time most of the time. The few times he managed something longer he was so groggy he might as well have been sleeping. The doctors were pleased with his progress, though, and assured him that he was healing much better and much faster than any of them had a right to expect. His mother worried, as he began to heal, that he would be bored and lonely, but he never was. She worked in the same hospital he was staying in and dropped by as often as she could. She wasn't allowed to be his primary nurse, as she was his mother, but it was kind of reassuring to him to see her there in her scrubs, looking professional and happy at the same time. Even when Mr. Hummel and Noah's own mother insisted that Kurt go back to school he was at the hospital everyday before school, then after school as soon as football or glee were over. Noah had put his foot down when Kurt said that he should just come straight from school. No matter how good it made him feel to know that Kurt loved him enough to make him the center of his universe he couldn't let him do it. It wasn't good for Kurt to stay cooped up in a hospital room when he could be doing the things he loved. His other friends came by as often as they could and it wasn't unusual to see four or five people in his room, hanging out, doing homework, watching a movie, rehearsing small things for glee. After the first couple of times none of them worried when Noah drifted off half way through a conversation. They just did quiet things until he woke up again. The doctors worried that the constant company would hinder Noah's progress, but decided that keeping him awake longer than was recommended was a sacrifice well worth it next to keeping his spirits up.

Once when Noah woke Burt was sitting at his bedside. He wasn't sleeping, just looking down at Noah as if he was seeing him for the first time. He opened his mouth to say something, but before he could get the words out a nurse and a doctor came in to examine Noah. The examinations were one thing that Noah dreaded every day because they hurt. There was only so much pain killers could do without getting him hooked on them so he had chosen to be slowly weaned off of them, but he wished he hadn't when the doctor was feeling around his chest and abdomen. The doctor tried to be gentle, but…Noah usually just closed his eyes and tried not to let the tears slip from his eyes. He didn't try to hide his shock when, just as the doctor was beginning his examination, Burt Hummel slipped his hand under Noah's and held it tight. Noah couldn't think of why Burt had done it until the pain shot through him and his hand convulsively closed on Burt's. Burt just held his hand the entire time and, when it was all over and Noah was completely drained, he let go reluctantly to pull the sheets up around Noah. He gently tucked them under Noah's shoulders, then smoothed the sides down. Noah didn't know who was more shocked, him or Burt, when the big man leaned down and kissed Noah's forehead paternally. Noah was drifting off when Burt walked to the door, but he smiled when Burt nodded at him, tears in his eyes. From that day on Burt was there for the examination everyday on his lunch hour. They never spoke about it, but Noah was more grateful than he could say. The day he held out his hand and Burt took it to shake without question Noah fell asleep with a smile on his face.

Everyone else seemed to have a sixth sense about when either Finn or Quinn were planning on coming by because only Kurt was there when they did. When it was Finn who came by all three of them would hang out. The steps Puck had taken on the day he was hit by the car were the foundation of a new friendship for them. This friendship was based on honesty, what they'd had when they were younger and a mutual unspoken fear that at any moment something might happen to either of them and they would never have the chance to try again. Finn had forgiven him and they were working their way back to being okay again. And Finn was there to play video games and talk sports, things that Kurt would have done, but hadn't been looking forward to. He left them to it one day, discussing the NFL draft to go get all of them something to eat and when he came back Noah was sleeping again. Finn was studying his sleeping form, his brow furrowed in concentration, his elbows on his knees and his hands folded under his chin.

"What is it?" Kurt asked, "Is he okay?

"He's fine," Finn assured him, "Just dropped off again."

"It was scary the first couple of times," Kurt murmured, running a hand over Noah's short hair. The doctors had shaved his Mohawk to get to a cut at the back of his head. Kurt wouldn't tell him that he preferred the buzz cut to the Mohawk. At least not yet, "I thought that something was wrong, that he'd slipped back into a coma. I ran right into his mom outside the room. I was sobbing, ready to hear the worst. She just laughed and hugged me, telling me that he would be doing it a lot while he healed. I held his hand and couldn't look away from his face until he woke up again."

"You really love him, don't you?" Finn asked.

"Yes, I do." Kurt leaned over to kiss Noah's forehead gently.

"Good. He jumped in front of a car for you, Kurt. So, I know he loves you. Just don't…I mean…"

"Finn Hudson, are you trying to tell me not to break Noah's heart?"

Finn grinned and shifted his weight, blushing. He looked down, "Yeah, well…He's my best friend. Or he will be. Or whatever."

"Don't worry, Finn," Kurt smiled gently, "I'd cut out my own heart before I ever let him get hurt again. By me or anyone else."

Finn's smile fell a little and he cocked his head to the side, confused, "Oh, well…that's good?"

Kurt could only throw back his head and laugh.

The first couple of times Quinn came by Kurt made himself scare, knowing that the two had a lot to discuss. Quinn's first visit Noah was only awake long enough for Quinn to sob that she didn't want Aria not to know her father. Noah assured her that he wasn't going anywhere. She kissed his forehead and held his hand until he fell asleep again. Kurt came back in to find Quinn with a hand resting on Noah's shoulder lightly and the other cradling her tummy, leaning back in her chair, a contented smile on her face and the sun slanting over her. It made such a beautiful picture that Kurt couldn't help the tears that came into his eyes. He thought he would feel jealous of Quinn when he walked in on them three days later and Noah was looking so utterly ecstatic to be feeling his child move in Quinn's belly. But, then Noah saw Kurt in the doorway, turned his brilliant smile on him and called him over. Kurt smiled indulgently and allowed Noah to press his hand to Quinn's belly. His breath caught when he felt the tiny movement against his hand. For the first time, his boyfriend's baby was real to him. Noah looked at him and knew exactly what he was thinking.

"I know…" He grinned as he leaned back against his pillows, "Isn't that the most fucking amazing thing you've ever felt?"

"Watch your mouth, Puck," Quinn said with a smile.

"Language, Noah," Kurt said at the same time. They looked at each other as if seeing one another for the first time. They both looked down when they realized that Kurt was stroking her belly gently. They smiled at each other. From that moment on there was an understanding between them that they had never expected.

The first time Noah was allowed out of his room was the day that his daughter was born. He'd only been in the hospital for two weeks, but the doctors knew that it was pointless to try to keep him in his bed when his baby was coming into the world. They were grateful that Kurt kept him in his chair as the eleven teenagers, a pre-teen, because Miri would not be left out of the birth of her neice, two teachers, and three parents (Mr. Hummel, Mrs. Puckerman, and, surprising no one, Mrs. Hudson.) crammed themselves into Quinn's room. When she wanted to walk the girls went with her, taking turns keeping a steadying hand on the small of her back and one on her elbow. They all sang when they felt like it was needed, including Quinn, and took turns holding her hands when she was having contractions. Kurt quite competently coached Quinn through her contractions for hours, to everyone's surprise. Noah didn't speak much, but nothing could keep the contented smile from his face. The doctors came in every couple of hours to check on him and give him more pain medication. No one paid much mind when he dropped off to sleep at random intervals, his head on the first available shoulder. For once Emma put aside her phobias to hold Quinn's hand and wipe her brow. They were all glad to see Quinn's greatest comfort came from her and Will Schuester. No one was surprised when, nine hours into labor, she asked Emma and Will to be Aria's godparents. They readily agreed.

Aria Grace Fabray-Puckerman was born at three-thirty in the morning with nearly black hair and eyes that were a cloudy blue everyone was fairly certain would darken to brown before she was a year old. Quinn cried when the doctors handed her over, then held Noah's hand and they cried together as she was cleaned up. Kurt took pictures the entire time and tried to convince himself that he wasn't crying. Not really. There was just something in his eye. But, when he sat on the side of the bed and Quinn handed her over to him, the tears fell in earnest. He kissed her little face, counted her fingers and toes, then leaned down so that Noah could do the same. The three of them grinned for the camera when the nurse kindly asked if they wanted a picture all together. Later Kurt would complain that his eyes were red and puffy while Quinn, having just given birth, and Noah, still casted and injured, looked like they had just stepped out of magazines. But, the framed picture never left his bedside table.

Later, just as the sun was coming up, when Noah and Kurt were drifting off in his hospital bed after having spent an hour whispering about how beautiful Aria was, they smiled at each other in the dawning light and shared sweet, tender kisses. Kurt smiled at him sleepily and snuggled. Noah waited until Kurt's breathing was deep and even before he closed his eyes. He had sacrificed himself to save Kurt. And in return he was given everything. Of course, he was never going to play ball again and that sucked and hurt more than he was willing to admit. But, he could always find a new dream. Maybe now he could find out more about himself, really figure out what he was passionate about. And, he always had his mother and his sister and Burt Hummel and all of his friends. The best friends he had ever had in his life. And now he had Aria, his beautiful little girl. And Kurt. What else did he really need? As he looked at his small lover, curled against his side, sharing his pillow, he couldn't help but feel content and utterly at peace.

"Fair trade," He whispered, and let himself fall asleep.


	16. Chapter 14 Happy Ending Epilogue

**All previous disclaimers apply.**

"I'm home!" Noah called out first thing as he opened the door to the house he and Kurt had bought just a year before. It was nearly paid for, there was a lot of work to be done on some parts of it that Noah wanted to do himself instead of hiring someone to do them, and someday soon all of the plumbing was going to have to be updated, but it was theirs and they had fallen in love with the noble, proud old house from the moment they had seen it with a for sale sign up in the front yard. They had tried to be completely objective about deciding whether to place an offer on it or not, agreeing to go over their finances and make up budgeting spreadsheets before they decided anything, but their resolve had only lasted three hours before they had called the realtor. They were surprised at how easy it was to actually get financing approval. Two weeks after they had made their offer, Burt and Finn were helping him move in while Kurt, Carole, and Finn's very pregnant wife Moon watched the kids and made what they called executive decorating decisions. Afterward Burt and Carole had taken the kids home with them for a grandparent slumber party and Kurt and Noah had christened the new house by making wild love on the living room floor and then again on the kitchen table the next morning. Noah smiled as he passed the living room. Good memories.

"Anyone home?" He called up the stairs as he passed them and walked into his office to set his bag down at his desk. He winced a little as heeled his shoes off and kicked them under the desk. He reminded himself inwardly not to forget to get the heating pad out of the closet before he and Kurt went to bed. He had tried to prove that he was still a young man with a perfect leg this afternoon when some of the football players just weren't getting the concept he was trying to explain to them. He'd pay for it the next couple of days when he limp was more pronounced and his leg killed him all day.

He liked to think that he was much smarter now, much more grown up, than anyone had ever thought he would be when they were still in high school. After all, he was a teacher himself now. Well, sort of. He liked to think of himself as a teacher even though he wasn't in the classroom. He'd always thought of Emma Pillsbury, now Schuester, as his teacher after she had helped him so much his senior year, guiding him through the symptoms of PTSD that had surprised them all when they popped up months after the accident and then helping him realize that he wanted to do with his life exactly what she had done for him. He wanted to build kids up, let them know he was there for them, and that someone believed in them and would do anything that could be done to see that they succeeded. He was a guidance counselor and just how ironic was that? If someone had told him when he was in high school that one day he would return to William McKinley to be a counselor and to coach their football team and be happier with the choice than he'd ever thought possible he would have punched them, then laughed at them and at the absurdity of their claims. But, here he was. Teenagers called him Mr. Puckerman and he now called Mrs. Schuester (His principal and his friend.) Emma. He even called Schuester Will. At first it had been strange for both of them, but they'd gotten over it. He was really good at a job he loved. It didn't mean that sometimes he wasn't stupid. Like today. He winced again as he walked into the kitchen. Maybe he would have to get the heating pad just after dinner instead of waiting for bed.

If there was any dinner. Where the hell was his family? He put his hands on his hips, trying to think about what the schedule said for Friday nights. They usually tried to keep them free if at all possible for family time. This was one of those rare Fridays during football season that he could get off. He was going to be very disappointed if he found out that Kurt had scheduled something over it. He saw the note on the counter, set over a child's school paper and smiled. It was Kurt's precise, decorative handwriting.

Gone to get pizza. It's Friday and Ari did wonderfully on her test! Be home soon. Love you!

He smiled again as he looked down at the one hundred percent spelling test just under the note.

"That's my girl," He murmured. Nothing to do but wait for them to get home. He grabbed a beer out of the fridge and made his way into the living room, collapsing on the couch. He turned the television on, but was asleep, his beer unopened, in five minutes. He was jerked awake with a flash of pain when a very energetic ten year old landed on his lap and, subsequently, his aching leg.

"Papa!" She shouted, throwing her arms around his neck.

"Ari!" He shouted back, putting his arms around her and shifting her slightly so that her weight was off of his bad leg. He looked down at her and couldn't help the smile that never failed to come to his face every time he saw his little girl. She was exactly what he had dreamed she would be so many year ago. So much so that he often wondered if the ladies had put the picture of her into his head as a kind of consolation for all he had gone through. Her hair and eyes were his. Her skin was pale as milk, like Quinn's, and at the moment was flushed prettily in her excitement. She was ten years old and in the forth grade. And so smart. She had some of the best grades in the class. The way her mind worked constantly amazed him and he often stood in her doorway while she was sleeping just looking at her, wondering where it had come from. To his never ending delight and Kurt's chagrin, she was a little bit of a tomboy. She would rather be in jeans and a baseball shirt than in a dress and ribbons. Her hair was still in the complicated braid Kurt had put it in before school, but little pieces were starting to come out of it and he tucked one behind her ear. She giggled and snuggled. She was a big snuggler, loved when either him or Kurt held her. He used to love to watch when she was younger and Kurt would rock her to sleep, kissing her face and singing to her quietly. She was a little old to rock anymore, but she still loved hugs and was always happy when Kurt was helping her with her hair or anything else.

"We got pizza!" Ari said happily, "Because I did so good on my spelling test Daddy said I could stay up late and have ice cream, too!"

"Well, Aria," Kurt called from the kitchen and Puck grinned at the voice even though he couldn't see him, "You did well on your spelling test. Go wash up so that we can eat!"

"Yes, Daddy!"

And just like that Hurricane Aria was gone. Puck grinned after her before getting up and making his way slowly into the kitchen. Kurt had turned on the kitchen radio and the gentle strains of some classical music Noah couldn't put a name to were filling the small room. It was probably something Mozart. Ever since Kurt had read that study linking better math grades in kids with Mozart he always seemed to have it playing. At first it had annoyed the hell out of Noah, (Mozart was just not his thing.) but now he hardly noticed it anymore. He paused in the doorway simply to take in the picture. Kurt was setting out plates on their small kitchen table with one hand. In his other arm was their nine month old son, sleeping peacefully against his shoulder. He was dressed to the nines as always in, if Noah wasn't mistaken, pieces from his newest line that wouldn't even premiere to the public for another two months. He liked the well fitting jeans and the short sleeved shirt covered by the tightly tailored jacket. The scarf, he knew, probably wouldn't be included with the outfit on the runway. Nor would the hat. Those were uniquely Kurt. He wasn't wearing shoes, Noah noticed. He lifted an eyebrow.

It was strange what turned him on now that they were responsible adults, parents, a business owner and a teacher. But Kurt in the middle of the kitchen, one of his fashionable outfits on, without shoes, their baby sleeping on his shoulder, was definitely turning him on. It probably had something to do with the fact that they hadn't made love in nearly two weeks. They'd both been ridiculously busy and ridiculously tired when it was time for bed. They snuggled and had made out a little, but they'd both fallen asleep numerous times before it could progress further. He looked at the wall calendar and grinned. Kurt had taken tomorrow off. They could have their late night with Ari and still make love because they could sleep in on Saturday. If Connor would let them. Even if he didn't Ari was going to Finn and Moon's for a play date and slumber party with their daughter Drizzle the next day and they could take a nap when Con went down. That was awesome.

"Hey, baby," Kurt murmured when Noah crossed the room and wrapped his arms around Kurt's still ridiculously small waist, kissing the back of his neck.

"Hey," Noah murmured in response, "How was your day? You hear from New York today?"

"Mmm," Kurt murmured in assent, "Everything's all set up. I'll show on Wednesday night again this year. First show of the night. It's a good time. I'll do some PR and advertising stuff on Thursday and be back by Friday."

"Quick trip," Noah commented.

"Yeah, but I don't want to leave the boutique for long. Or you and the kids."

"But, Babe, you love New York. You could stay a couple of days more if you wanted. We'd be fine."

"I do love New York," Kurt said, "But, I love you and Con and Ari more. I'd be miserable without you. Five days is going to be hard enough. Maybe in a couple of years when Con is a little older we can all go together, but for now…" He trailed off on a soft sigh when Noah kissed his neck again, then ran his tongue over the sensitive skin.

"Have I told you I love you today?" Noah asked.

"This morning." Kurt said quietly, reaching his free hand behind himself to cup Noah's head.

"Too long," Noah smiled against his skin, "Love you."

"Love you, too."

He wasn't sure that the people of Lima, Ohio quiet realized just what they had in the boutique that Kurt had opened here just after college. To the people of their small town Kurt was just another hometown boy. He had gone away for school, but he had come back. At first they hadn't been sure how to react to the "fancy store" he opened with some of the money from the trust fund that had been set up by his grandparents when he was born. But, the boutique had caught on. The clothes were a little on the expensive side for Lima, but no one complained. KHP was a formidable name in the fashion world. Stars tripped all over themselves to wear pieces from the collection. A KHP gown had been worn by the new first lady at the inauguration the year before. And the KHP flagship store was in Lima, Ohio. That brought a lot of revenue and prestige to the town that hadn't been their before. To the world Kurt was a genius, to the town Kurt was just one of their own.

They'd been surprised just how much they loved Lima as grown men. It was a great place to raise their family and the town seemed to accept them as a married couple with no problems. Of course, there were things they could do now because of Kurt's fame that they wouldn't have been able to do in the past. And, he had to admit, things had changed after he'd been hit by the car. People reacted to sacrifice and the sacrifice he'd made to save Kurt's life had touched hearts. Lima wasn't perfect by any means and there were still some people who would cross the street when they were walking on the sidewalk and they still heard some noise about it being a sin that gay men should be allowed to raise families. But, overall it could be ignored. Their daughter was growing up well adjusted, their son would do the same, and the town was much better to them than they ever could have hoped.

They'd originally come back for what they thought was only going to be a short time. Quinn had taken a position as a PR agent for a new presidential candidate and she was needed to travel around the country with him for a few months as the campaigning got more and more intense. So, Kurt and Noah had come home to take care of Ari. It was the summer just after Ari's sixth birthday. She'd been thrilled to have them there. Daddy and Papa were in her life as much as possible, seeing her ten or twelve times a year and talking with her on the phone at least five days a week, but their lives were in New York where Kurt was just getting his line started and earning a name for himself and Noah was counseling at a boys and girls club while he waited for a position to open up in a school. They'd talked it over and agreed to go back to Lima for the summer so that Quinn could go on the tour without having to worry about Ari. And suddenly the positions were inverted. They were full time working fathers and Quinn was calling every night to talk to her baby. But, they'd gotten comfortable. Noah had taken the position at the high school and Kurt had opened his boutique. Quinn's candidate had done better than expected, all the way up to the presidential election and what had originally been staying in Lima for the summer had become staying in Lima for six months. Quinn's candidate had lost, but before she could come home she had been offered a PR position in Washington D.C. After a lot of soul searching on everyone's part she had taken it and they had stayed in Lima. Now Quinn came in every other weekend to spend time with Aria and every summer they all, including Burt and Carole, Rebeka and her new husband David, and Miri and whatever guy she was dating at the time summered with Quinn in D.C. They worried at first that Ari would suffer for lack of her mother, but she had adjusted just fine. And she spoke to her mother more often than some kids who lived with theirs. It was a good arrangement for all of them. They were completely happy.

Then, two years later while lying quietly in their bed after making love Kurt had turned to Noah with that look on his face that said that he wanted to ask something but was afraid of the answer.

"What is it?" Noah had asked.

"Noah…I love you and Aria so much, but sometimes, it just feels like there's something missing."

"Like what, babe?" Noah had been almost afraid of the answer until Kurt had smiled at him.

"I want us to have another baby, Noah."

Noah had never really thought about having any more kids than Ari, but once Kurt had said something it had taken hold in his mind and he'd gotten just as excited about it as Kurt. They'd spent a couple of months looking for the right surrogate, never finding anyone they liked well enough to have her carry a child for them. Finally, at a reunion dinner with the old glee club while Mercedes was in town they'd told the club about the trouble they were having. Santana, now Noah's coworker (Cherrio assistant coach and physical education teacher), had rolled her eyes at them and asked why they hadn't told her sooner, as she or Brittany would be more than willing to do it. The rest had been so easy. Santana had gotten pregnant on the doctor's first try. Half way through the pregnancy Santana had discovered that she was carrying twins. Kurt and Noah had braced themselves, because they hadn't been prepared for it and weren't sure they were ready for something like that, but it had all worked out, because Santana and Britt had decided that they were ready to be mothers themselves. So, when the babies had been born, fraternal and not identical thankfully, Connor had come home with them and Aiden had gone home with Santana and Brittany. The boys would be raised as cousins and when they were older they would tell them that they were brothers. But, right now it didn't matter. Both boys were happy and healthy and had families and parents who loved them to death. They weren't lacking anything.

They'd mixed their seed to make Connor and they had never had a paternity test, but looking at him it could not be doubted that Kurt was his father. His hair was black like Santana's but his skin was pale like Kurt's. And those beautiful eyes, the eyes that Noah had fallen in love with, looked out at him from Connor's sweet face. He rubbed a finger down Connor's chubby little cheek and smiled when the baby wrinkled his nose, but didn't wake up. He shifted slightly so that he could run his hand over Con's dark hair, then pressed a kiss to it, then angled his jaw so that he could press another kiss Kurt's sweetly waiting mouth. Kurt sighed into the kiss and leaned into him. Noah wrapped his arms around Kurt's slight form and deepened the kiss. His hands drifted down Kurt's form until they rested on his hips and he pulled Kurt's pelvis to his, glad to feel evidence of arousal there as he was sure that Kurt could feel the same from him. Kurt moaned and wrapped his free arm around Noah to grip his ass and push their pelvises closer still.

They pulled back when they heard Aria pounding down the stairs and had nearly collected themselves by the time she slid into the kitchen in her socks and practically hopped into her chair. Noah listened, a grin on his face, as Aria told him about her day and Kurt woke Connor gently, not wanting him to get too far off of his sleeping schedule. He had started sleeping through the night a couple of months before and if they wanted to do what it was they both wanted to do then he needed to sleep through the night. Noah was hyper aware of Kurt as they sat in their darkened living room later that night, Aria between them, watching a movie that involved a lot of singing and dancing animated animals. Aria was enraptured. Noah couldn't concentrate at all. Kurt had reached over the back of the couch and was stroking his shoulder with feather-light fingertips. Half way through the film he switched tactics and instead began tracing light patterns on the back of Noah's neck, making him shiver. Knowing exactly what it was that Kurt was promising him, Noah had to put a pillow over his crotch so as not to traumatize their daughter. Luckily Kurt sensed when the movie was winding down and pulled his arm back so that Noah was in complete control again as he carried Aria to bed and then tucked her in. They kissed her goodnight and turned on the nightlight before they left the room, leaving the door open a crack, and made their way to their own room, carefully not touching each other.

"Fuck," Noah murmured when their door was finally closed. He whirled around on Kurt and pushed him up against the wall so that he could kiss the life out of him. Kurt responded with enthusiasm, jumping into Noah's arms and wrapping his legs around his waist. They were both hard, Noah noticed with a grin against Kurt's mouth. Maybe if they played their cards right and their bodies allowed it, they would be able to make love now fast and hard, then again later, slow and gentle. They both seemed to have enough need saved up for each other. He pressed his hips to Kurt's and gasped at the sensation when Kurt arched against him, breaking the kiss and crying out softly.

"Fuck!" Noah cried out again for a much different reason when Kurt's heel brushed his bad thigh and his leg nearly gave. Kurt made a noise of both sympathy and apology as he got down from Noah's arms.

"I'm sorry! Are you alright? Can I get you something?"

Kurt always freaked out a little when something happened to Noah's leg and Noah was hoping to cut off the panic this time before it interrupted his plans, so he just kissed Kurt again. Kurt melted into the kiss just as Noah was intending and was calm again when he finally pulled away.

"I'm fine, babe," He assured him, "I did some stupid stuff today that I shouldn't have done. But, that just means that you're going to have to do all the work tonight, okay?"

Kurt grinned at him wickedly, "Okay."

They made their way to their bed, tearing off clothes as they went.

"Do you want…" Noah began to ask, but was cut off by Kurt shaking his head.

"Maybe later. Right now I just want you inside of me. It's been too long."

Noah agreed silently as he watched Kurt bending over to grab the lube they kept in their bedside table. His mouth always went dry. Ten and a half years together, two kids, jobs, nearly losing each other and Kurt still turned him on like no one else had ever been able to. Kurt took it seriously when Noah told him that he had to do all of the work. Noah's mouth went dry as Kurt put one leg up on the bed and reached around to prepare himself quickly. By the time Kurt decided he was ready, Noah was ready to beg. Stroking himself to take off the edge, he grinned as Kurt moved to coat him, then straddled him. Kurt let out a long, satisfied sigh as he sank down onto Noah. It had only gotten better as they got older. Now every time it felt like they were made for each other. It was like coming home, being joined this way. Noah closed his eyes and moaned as Kurt began to ride him hard and fast.

"Noah," Kurt murmured as he reached down and took one of Noah's hands, laying it against his chest, just above his heart, "Noah!" His voice broke on a little sob and Noah gripped his hip with his free hand.

"Little bit more, babe," He murmured, "God, you're so good.

Kurt cried out as he rode harder, trying to bring them both over the edge. It had been too long, Noah knew, and they were both still young enough that it didn't take much. He moved his hand and took Kurt in his palm, stroking in time to the frantic jerks of Kurt's hips. In no time at all Kurt was crying out with his release, his back arching and his hands tightening on Noah's arm, which he still held against his heart. Feeling the way he tightened sent Noah over the edge with him and he cried out Kurt's name as he spilled himself into his body.

When he came back to himself Kurt was collapsed on his chest, making little contended sounds as Noah stroked his back. He hadn't even realized he'd been doing it. It felt good to be so in tune with Kurt's needs even when he was out of it himself.

"That was great," Kurt murmured when they had settled into spooning positions, Noah kissing the back of his neck tenderly.

"Mmm…" Noah groaned from the back of his throat in agreement.

"Nap a little, then again?" Kurt asked.

"Mmm…" Noah agreed again.

"I love you, Noah."

"I love you, too, Kurt." He whispered.

They both fell asleep with smiles on their faces. And somewhere in the world, interfering as they shouldn't once again, three ladies smiled again. And all five were at peace.


End file.
